Every Time There´s a Concert
by MaryATroryFan
Summary: Future Fic. There is a PJ Harvey concert, and both Rory and Tristan are reminded of a certain incident... Trory. Notice that the raiting has changed. COMPLETE!
1. Reminiscing

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls, the characters belong to the WB… 

_A/N: Dear Readers: This is just a re-post of my story.  I was checking it one of this days and I found a few discrepancies and mistakes in it, so I am fixing most of the chapters.  Please know, that this will not affect the story in any way, it is just to make it a little more accurate, that's all.  Thank You._

Every Time There's a Concert

Chapter One: Reminiscing 

~*~ ~*~ Flashback ~*~ ~*~ 

"You know what these are?"  Tristan is holding up two tickets; one in each hand.

"They look like tickets." Was the obvious answer given by Rory.

"To PJ Harvey." 

"Wow, you have good taste. I'll give you that."

"You're into PJ Harvey, right?" 

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Why, I'm all knowing."

"How godlike of you."

"One of these is for you."

"Oh, I don't think we should go to a concert together."

"Reason?"

"It would seem like a date."

"Well it would seem like a date because it would be a date."

"I can't date you Tristan."

"Well I give you permission."

"And on that humble note."  She walks away, leaving him standing near her locker.

The Day of the concert Tristan is waiting against the wall for Rory. As she walks past, he starts walking next to her.

"So I'm a little tired of this game." Tristan said, indeed looking a little exasperated about the situation.

"What game?"

"Are we meeting there or what?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The concert's tonight."

"Well I hope you and the empty seat next to you have a lot of fun."

"I'm starting to get a little irritated here."

"So am I." 

"What are you mad about?"

"You've been telling everyone that I'm going to this thing with you."

"Just a couple."

"You told Paris. Paris and I had just started getting along and now she hates me again."

"Well, the damage is done. You might as well go to PJ Harvey with me."

"Never, never. I am never going anywhere with you ever."

"You know, these tickets cost me a fortune."

"They cost your daddy a fortune."

"I don't even know anybody else who's even into this stupid guy."

"PJ Harvey's a woman."

(Tristan grabs Rory's books) 

"What are you doing?" 

"You'll get them back when you agree to go with me."

"You're pathetic Tristan. Keep the books. I'm leaving. (Sees Dean in the parking lot) Dean? (Walks towards him) Dean. What are you doing here?"

_~*~ ~*~ End of Flashback ~*~ ~*~_

"So that's what happened!! No wonder you did that face when the PJ Harvey concert was mentioned" said Janine to Rory as they were walking back to their apartment from "The Coffeehouse" where they usually hang out… the one with the great coffee, of course, but never as good a Luke's.

Rory and Janine where both attending Yale University.  They had been in school together since freshmen year.   Janine had gotten along with Rory since the very beginning, with her perky attitude, love for music, and basically because she was the Lane away from home, even if she wasn't that far away from home, and Janine being the closest thing to Lane was a shoe-in.

"Yeah, that's what happened" Rory said to her friend.

"Did you ever regret saying no to him?"

"Maybe… not exactly saying ´No´ to him, but saying the things I said when Dean arrived.  Hate is such a strong word, you know?"  Rory said, truly feeling sorry for what had happened, but mostly the way it did happen.  She ended up hurting someone, which although he deserved being treated coldly, did not deserve such a _strong word. _

"Now that you've thought about it, do you think you would've acted differently?" Janine asked, curiosity filling every word she said.

"I guess.  For one thing, I wouldn't say I hate him" they both chuckled, "but I still wouldn't have gone out with him.  To the concert or wherever."

"Even if he had asked the right way, you know… politely? Not in the mandatory way that he did"

"I don't know, I think I would kinda have to be there to know how I would react…  But enough about him…"

"Wait… Just one more question before you let the matter rest"

"Shoot… "

"What happened to him?"

"Their parents sent him to military school in North Carolina, as punishment for some problems that he had… and I never saw him again", something close to regret almost  sounding in her voice.

"Well, poor guy!"

"Yeah… Poor Tristan!"

Somewhere in Connecticut 

"Huh! PJ Harvey in concert…"

"Oh no! No, no! No way man, you are not going to get all "PJ-Harvey-Rory" on me, not again.  You go through this every time, and it's not fair.  Not fair to you or to me, for that matter.  I know it was hard for you, but you have to let go of that memory" was the advice given by Drew as they passed yet another poster announcing said concert.

"I know, but sometimes you remember things that you think have passed. . ." Tristan answered to his friend, "Yeah, I am letting go of the memory, I have let go of the memory, but I just don't know what made it come to mind just now… besides the poster"

"OK, lets go… we are running late and kick off is in 10 minutes and I don't want to miss it"

"Yeah, I hadn't noticed, we have to hurry… it's always the same with you man, you and your memories of that girl you never had…" he said jokingly to Drew as he patted his back and Drew just laughed knowing that there was going to be a lot of Rory-related conversations in the future.


	2. A Meeting

Disclaimer: Like I said before, I don't own Gilmore Girls, it belongs to the WB.. There is just one thing: If I owned it, we would have Tristan back… Thank You

A/N: Thanks to the persons that have read my story, and reviewed it, it truly means a lot to me.

Pairing: Rory/Tristan Of Course!!!

Spoilers: None

Summary:** Fate works in funny ways to keep two persons together.**

Everytime There's a Concert

Chapter 2: A Meeting

"So what are we going to do tonight?" asked Rory to Janine. 

"Now there's a surprise!!! What made you want to go out tonight?" asked Janine back, really surprised that Rory wanted to go out that day, considering that she used to say that "going out was not her scene", and that she spent every waking moment either doing homework or reading, activity that she was famous for loving.

"Well today is one of those days, that you need to go out and. . . be out" Rory answered.

"Very eloquently phrased… did you quote that from one of the books" she asked sarcastically.

"Nice! If you don't give me a straight answer I'm going to stay in" Rory spat back, kiddingly.

"No! I was just teasing. . .  What do you say if we go to this amazing new place. . . the one that I was telling you about with the live music, that I know you would like because it has no 'pop-y sensation' ring to it, they have great coffee if you are in the mood for, and great cocktails if you would like a change of pace" She answered almost in one breath before Rory would really back out of going.  She considered that they both deserved a night in the town.  Even if they didn't get wild in the town, it was always fun to play 1, 2, 3 he's yours, a game Rory had taught her, with all those drunken-boring-think-that-they-are-all-that-but-really-they're-not guys. 

I think it is now time to update the reader on the love life of both friends.

Rory, oh! Our dear Rory! Well, she broke up with Dean over the whole Jess Fiasco (Which was only fair) a couple of weeks into her senior year at Chilton.  Then she dated Jess, for over a Year, but decided to break up amicably: she didn't have enough time to be with him because of homework and school and everything else that she had to do.  And he had a life of his own, and it proved to be a lot of work to be together and decided to let it go.  It pained them both, but it was the right thing to do.  She then proceeded to date Bradley, great guy, really! But a little on the boring side.  They broke up 3 months into their relationship.  So then she decided to stop the whole dating thing and just meet people.  Many guys were after her, but being Rory, she never knew, and they never told either.  They preferred having her as a friend, than not at all.

As for Janine, she had a high school sweetheart, who she dated for over four years.  But six months ago, distance proved to be too much, Daniel was jealous of everything she talked about and he couldn't conceive the idea of how she could have a social life without him.  It made her miserable.  But he was only talk, he was the kind of guy that would go out everyday if he could, and he even cheated on her a couple of times.  Things she forgave, but the third time he did it (even if it was two times too many) she had it and broke up with him.  And had been single ever since.

So, back to the story.

The girls decided to go to said place, and started to get ready for it.  And then the phone rang.

"Hello!" Rory answered.

"Hey kiddo!!" Loralai answered on the other side of the line.

"Hey mom!!" 

"Whatcha doing?" Loralai asked.

"Getting ready, Janine discovered this great tattoo parlor, and all the big bad bikers and lowlives hang out there and we want to go and see if we hook up with any of them"  Rory answered in her usual way.

"Great, can I come? Snake over here gave up on me and left"

"Sure, can you be here in twenty minutes?"

"Rats! Can't.  The chopper's in the shop. . .  I think I'm giving up on that thing"

"So mom, what are you up to really?" 

"Oh nothing angel, Luke is coming over, with some movies and he is going to try to make me eat healthy again, and I will pout and complain and he will give up and give me a hamburger. . . So basically the usual"

"Mom, have you ever thought that if Luke and Mrs. Kim joined forces, Stars Hollow would probably be the healthiest eating town in all of the US"

"I KNOW!! Can you imagine Mrs. Kim telling you what you had to eat, and with Luke there, everyone would be to afraid to say no, and then there would be no coffee, or doughnuts, or burgers, or…" 

"MOM!" Rory snapped Loralai out of her train of thought.

"Aaahh! What?"

"It was just a hypothetical, OK"

"You scare me sometimes with those ideas of yours"

"So how are things with Luke?"

"They are going great, he is the same Luke, but he loves me now. . . not that I get any special treatment because I'm the girlfriend, but at least I can persuade him faster"

"Well that's always a plus"

"How ´bout you?"

"Well nothing much… We are going out with Janine, just the two of us to this new place that seems great, and that's pretty much it"

"So, no guys?"

"Nope, neither one of us, we are enjoying being bachelorettes"

"Don't get to used to it, I want grandchildren one day, you know?"

"OK, then if you let me go now I can go out tonight, and meet prince charming, or someone similar, fall in love and take it from there, what do you say?"

"Great! Ooo! I have to go, Luke's home, say hi to Janine for me, bye!"

"Bye", and with that Rory hung up.  Janine was starting to get desperate, and Rory said "Mom says hi, come on, let's go".

And they were off.

Somewhere (really, really) close by 

"Are you ready?" Drew asked Tristan from the door trying to make his friend hurry.

"Yeah! Do you think looking like this is easy?"

"Apparently, you were asleep and that is why you are running late.  That is why I always call before I come by."

"Sorry man, but I'm ready.  Where is it that we are going again?" 

"You'll see, I know you will like it"

"And we are meeting who?"

"No one"

"OK, but I am not thrilled about this"

*    *     *

Rory and Janine arrived at "The Hub" and sat down at a really tall table, which made it a bit uncomfortable, but asides from the table being so small everything else was great.  Janine was right; the place was great.  The music was amazing, the band was playing Pete Yorn when they came in, and did many different songs afterwards.  And then:

"Hey it's your turn to go and get the drinks" Rory said not wanting to get out of the chair now that she was finally comfortable.

"No way!!"

"Yes, it's your turn"

"OK, tell me what would you like to drink this time"  Janine asked.

"Let me have a blue drink"

"Can you be any more vague?"

"I don't now much about drinks!! I know that I would like to try something blue, nothing to strong. . .  and that had an umbrella in it"

"You were right"

"About what?", Rory asked.

"Going out is not your scene.  I´ll be right back", she said smiling. 

And Rory stayed at the table while Janine went to the bar and asked for a blue drink, "nothing to strong" and a Daiquiri.   As she was backing up, with both drinks in her hands, trying to balance them she stumbled and almost fell, if it hadn't been for this guy that grabbed her by the armpits, she would have fallen.  

"You are my hero, thank you so much"  she said as she was turning around to face the guy.  When she finally met his eyes she came around this handsome, 6 foot 2, dark haired, guy with amazing green eyes, great built.

"Nice to know, now I can write that in my resume.  Night Hero.  How does it sound?"  answered the guy back.

"As great as it sounds, I don't think that many companies would hire you as a Night Hero."

"Hi, I'm Drew" the guy said

"Hi, I'm Janine"

*   *   *

A/N: Hope you like it.  Please Read and Review.  And be Patient cause there will be a lot of Troriness in your way, but I have to work on it.


	3. Chance Encounters

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls *snif*

A/N: Thank You so much to everyone that has read my story and reviewed it.  One special review brought something to my attention.  I should've told you that English is not my first language, so forgive me if I make mistakes with the verbs and stuff, but I am going to try my best to make as little mistakes as possible, so you can enjoy (Thanks Rory Potter, I appreciate it). Oh! And I will explain why Tristan is acting so not Tristan-Like along the way.  Oh! Paris went to Harvard; Jess is going to NYU; Lane, to Sarah Lawrence; Dean moved back to Chicago.  She keeps in touch with everyone but Dean.  Tristan and Drew graduated early from Florence, Italy.

Pairing: Still Rory / Tristan ;o)

Everytime There's a Concert 

Chapter 3: Chance Encounters

"It is very nice meeting you Janine" Drew said as he stretched his hand to Janine, but then he just chuckled when he realized that she couldn't shake his hand.

"Likewise Drew" she said back.

"So are you here alone? I mean with no guys, considering that you are the one buying the drinks," he asked.

"Well, I don't know if you've heard the news, but girls can buy drinks too" she said, and he tried to take it back, when she said, "I'm kidding.  I guess that if you don't know me you cannot possibly know that I am, so answering your question: Yes, I am here with my friend who happens to be not a guy"

"Really!"

"Yeah.  So how ´bout you? Are you here with a girl? From your previous comment I guess that you are the kind of guy that buys the drinks"

"No I am here with a friend, who happens to be a guy as a matter of fact. . .   So do you think we could join you?"  

"I don't want to sound rude, but. . ." But Drew interrupted Janine.

"Girls night out, huh?" Drew asked her, knowing that the answer was going to be yes.

"Yeah, so I guess that I should go and deliver these drinks, so. . ."

"Hey, its OK, but do you think that I could call you sometime so we could go out and do something, movie, dinner, coffee, whatever you would like. . . please?"

"Sure, that sounds great. Write this down" and she waited for him to reach for a napkin and pull out his pen, "Janine Peterson: 555-1273"

"Great Janine Peterson, expect my phone call soon.  And, again, it was great meeting you"

She smiled back to him and walked away as he said those last words.  She was ecstatic.  She had gotten along with him, and thought that he was really cute and polite.  When she reached the table where Rory was, Rory asked her:

"What took you so long? I was starting to get worried".

"Did I take that long?" Janine asked concerned.

"Well, no.  But I was starting to get bored, playing 1,2,3 he's yours all by yourself is not fun.  I was getting all the guys" she joked, "So what happened?"

"I met a guy" she said, with this sparkle in her eye that Rory knew that she had really liked him.

"So, tell me about him, is he cute?" Rory asked, taking a sip out of her drink.

"Yeah, he is.  He's tall, dark and handsome" they both laughed at the clichèd phrase, "No, seriously now.  He is over 6 feet at least, green eyes, dark hair, and really nice, he rescued me, you know?" 

"Really?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, I stumbled with the foot of one of the chairs, and he grabbed me and stopped me from falling and spilling both our drinks" she told Rory.

The night went on with the two girls talking about everything and anything, and Janine had to ask:

"Rory, I'm curious about something"

"This wouldn't have to do anything with Tristan, would it?"

"Well yeah!  We've been friends for almost 3 years, and not once you mentioned him, why is that?"

"Many things: first of all, he wasn't that important in my life, if anything he made it difficult. . . he had a good side, that I am almost sure of, but he never did show it, except for the time that he offered me his notes my first day at Chilton but his intentions were not honorable to say the least, and that one time that we kissed. . ."

"You kissed him?  Now you have to tell me the whole story" she cut Rory off from her story, because that did shock her a bit.

"OK, but its kinda late, would you mind if I told it to you on our way home?"

So both girls got of from the table and went on their way home.  As promised, Rory told Janine the whole story about Tristan.  How he used to call her Mary at the beginning, then the birthday party that her grandparents threw for her, then the time that he fought with Dean, and then about when she had broken up with Dean and kissed him over at Madeline´s Party, when they almost started a friendship but couldn't.  

". . . And then it was the whole PJ Harvey thing that I told you before.  Then he left for North Carolina.  And that was the last time I saw him."

"Almost unbelievable" Janine said.

"What is?" Rory asked not understanding her friends statement.

"And you never noticed that he was in love with you"

"Janine, he wasn't in love with me. . .  he was just trying to prove a point" Rory answered back.

"Really? And what point would that be?"

"That he could go out with anyone. . . and that included me, it was nothing more than that" Rory answered a little exasperated at the comment, not only by the comment alone, but because Janine hadn't been the first one to tell her that.

"Really" Janine said back "because for a guy that would go out with whoever you set him up with, just to TRY to be on your good side. . . let me tell you something sweetie, a guy that is not in love with someone doesn't put up with that kind of stuff.  I can tell that you are upset and I know that you get upset because you know that I am telling you the truth".

"OK, maybe. . ." but she got cut off by Janine.

"No, Rory, not maybe; he was in love with you, and not ´Maybe´, I am telling you the truth".

"OK, yes, yes, all right!! You are telling me the truth, OK, I accept it.  But there isn't much we can do with my accepting that fact because he is gone Janine, gone!! And my accepting it is not going to bring him back, besides HE was the one that was in love with me and not the other way around so this conversation has no point, in my opinion" and with that she started walking faster and leaving Janine behind.

"Rory wait. . ." Janine said, "Rory, wait, please!!" She said a little louder now, because Rory wasn't slowing down, and she tried to catch up and when she did, she told Rory, "I'm sorry!! I know I shouldn't meddle in your life, and you are right. . . if he is gone there is no point on reminding you of stuff that is obviously hurtful to you", she said sincerely.

"Oookay! I'm sorry I snapped at you, you didn't deserve that, you know, carry my denial, ´cause it's not fair"

And as they were talking, a car drove by and Drew poked his head out of the window "Have a great night Janine!" as they slowed down a bit while he said that and then drove away as Janine answered back "Thanks, Drew!"

-* Inside the car*-

"Man, did you get a chance to check out Janine's friend; she is totally your type."

"Well, no I didn't get a chance to see her, you see when you are driving there's little time to get distracted, that's why I have you here, to check out what I can't . . so, my type, you said?"

"Yeah, she was tall, dark hair, fair skin, I couldn't tell which color her eyes are, but so far so good. . . what do you say?"

"Yeah, so far so good" Tristan answered doubtfully.

"No, I mean how about a double date" Drew asked.

"I don't do double dates, I pick my own girls"

"Come on, I've done it for you several times" 

"Yeah, but. . ." Tristan got interrupted

"And, I am not asking you to go out with someone that is not your type, because apparently she is. . ."

"So, you are seriously going to call this girl, aren't you?"  Tristan asked.

"Of course I am, I told you I would.  I just cannot figure where she went, I looked for her all over the place and couldn't find her."

"Really, I didn't notice"

"Of course you didn't with all those girls hanging around you, it was hard to pay attention to anything else, wasn't it?"

"Well yeah, but none of them strike my fancy, to phrased it down some way, I mean don't get me wrong you know I think all women are beautiful, but not one of the girls caught my eye"

"Tristan, bro, really you cannot keep looking for her in every girl you meet, you won't find her"

"Of course I won't, she is one of a kind, I am not trying to find her anywhere"  Tristan answered a little bitter.

"Really? You are not? Then tell me, why the pattern? Tristan, man, I've known you for God knows how long and you have been going out with girls that you cannot make apart one from the other, same dark hair, same fair skin, same blue eyes, sometime green (there is a slight variation there), but still you cannot keep a steady relationship for over two weeks"

"I've never lasted longer than two weeks, ever" Tristan answered matter-of-factly.

"You know what? Lets let this matter rest, ´cause we won't get anywhere with this conversation, and who knows, maybe you will find HER, eventually."

"Maybe, but finding Rory, I think getting to the moon could be a little easier. . . you know what, you are right let's just let it go.  So, we call it a night?"

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow to get started on our work plan, OK? A company just won't get started by itself" Drew said, he was always so much more responsible than Tristan, but Tristan was the one with the great ideas, that's why they made such a great team.

"Yeah, but lets get together around 12. . . it's a Sunday"

"12 sharp.  The world of Graphic Design waits for no one".

"OK man, see you tomorrow then" they arrived at Tristan´s apartment building, did the whole manly hand shake thing that they usually do (do they teach them that when we are not watching, or something?), and with that Drew got into his car and Tristan went into his building.

-* And back to where we left the Girls *- 

"So that was Drew, huh? He seemed cute" Rory asked, putting behind the small fight they had a few moments ago before the eager young man drove by.

"Yeah" Janine answered, and you could almost see the small stars in her eyes.

"My, my ,my, what a hero can do! Oh the vapors" Rory joked, saying those last words with a southern accent.

"Oh, stop it, Rory!" Janine answered playfully.

"OK, come on babe, it's late".

And with that both friends walked together to their apartment.

-*-    -*-   -*-

Sunday went by, with no special event on any of our friends, that is until late afternoon.  The guys did their work plan.  And the girls, they hung out, watched TV, and did pretty much nothing.  But then:

-* At Drew´s Apartment *-

"Hey man, we've been working our buts off with this thing, how about a coffee break.  It will help us clear our minds" Tristan asked, apparently he learned, from watching a certain girl drink coffee, to enjoy such a drink almost as much as she did.  At first he did it to have things in common, but then he just understood why she liked it so much and got hooked on it.

"That is not such a bad idea, come on lets go, my treat this time" Drew said

"I won't argue with that kind of logic" and both guys walked out of the apartment and to the street because the coffee place was in walking distance from where they where.

-* At Rory´s and Janine´s *-

"You know what?" Rory asked her friend, and not waiting for an answer she continued "I am in the mood for a good cup of coffee, like one from the coffee house you know.  We have great coffee here, don't get me wrong, but I think we should take this time to go out and. . ."

But Janine cut her off saying "Ok, Ok, Ok, stop marketing this thing, lets go", and both girls got their coats and walked out of their apartment to go to the coffeehouse, which was a few steps away, which was very convenient.

-* At the Coffee House *-

Both girls were standing in line when the guys came in.  Drew stayed in the line and Tristan went to the bathroom for a minute, and then came the encounter.  As the girls grabbed their cups of coffee and started to walk out of the line in direction to a table, they came across Drew.

"Janine?!" He exclaimed doubtfully.

"Drew? Hey, nice running into you here, I've never seen you around."

"Apparently we never came in at the same time, because I am sure that I would definitely remember seeing someone like you here" Drew said.

And as Janine was starting to say "Drew this is my friend . . ." Someone came to Drew and said

"Hey man, got our coffee yet"

"TRISTAN!" a surprised Rory said.

"RORY!" Tristan said almost inaudibly.

"He's Tristan?" Janine said

"She's THE Rory?" Drew asked even more surprised than Janine.


	4. Redeeming Yourself

Disclaimer: I've had many things to do so I haven't had time to buy Gilmore Girls, so it still belongs to the WB.

_A/N: So here is the next chapter, thanks for the reviews to everyone, and as of now I figured out (thanks to RoryLeighDugrey) how to accept anon reviews so, I will appreciate it if you take the time to review my story.  OK! So on to the next episode._

**Everytime There's a Concert**

Chapter 4: Redeeming Yourself 

They both stood shocked there looking at each other, not really knowing what to say.  Needless to say that, mixed feelings were the "special of the day" (bad joke, I know).

First we have Rory; she didn't know what to say or how to react, considering that just last night this boy, who was standing right in front of her, was the topic of a heated discussion between Janine and her.  And who said that accepting the fact that he had been in love with her so long ago, wasn't going to bring him back?  Not that she wanted him back, but it still was shocking to see him.

Then we have Tristan, poor Tristan!  All of a sudden all these things that were "on the back of his mind" just came rushing to him at the very moment that he put his eyes on her.  She was still the same girl that he had left that night at Chilton dressed in a Juliet outfit, wishing that she would ask him to wait, but never did.  Of course he had been a jerk ever since he met her, and treated her every which way, expecting some kind of response from her part that never came, because she was with. . . what's his name again?  Well anyway, she was there standing in front of him.  All the time he had waited for this moment was finally here and he said:

"Hi, Rory" still he didn't know if he was doing the right thing.  You could tell by the tone of his voice that he was a little unsure of the reaction that will come from her, but to his relief, she said:

"Hey, Tristan. . ." but couldn't say anything else.  Don't get me wrong, her lack of words wasn't because she had any feelings for the guy, but it still was shocking to see someone, after such a long, long time; a guy who she had been discussing and remembering just yesterday.  Little did she know that she was going to be proved right on something: he did have a good side to him, and he was going to reveal it to her if she gave him a chance, but for the moment:

"You know what guys?" she said to the two very confused friends Drew and Janine, and a still very shocked Tristan "I think I should go, I have my coffee with me so, I'm good. . . you guys can hang out" and she said to Janine "I'll see you at home, ok?"

"Are you sure?" Janine asked, still a little confused.

"Yeah, bye guys. . . it was. . . nice seeing you again, Tristan" she said politely, as it was her usual way.

As she started to walk out of the coffee house, Tristan said "I should go to talk to her" and finishing this sentence, he rushed behind her.

"Rory, wait please!" Tristan said as he reached her.

"Hey, I'm. . . I'm going home" she said a little uncomfortable, while she pointed nowhere exactly.

"Come on, please, don't leave on my account" he asked sincerely.

"Oh, um, I'm not. . . I. . . just have some stuff to do for school, and I just cannot let it go that easily" she lied.

"You are not that good of a liar, Rory Gilmore, and if you were here it's because you have a little time to spare, so please stay"

"Yeah, but. . ."

"Please, let me prove to you that I am not the same person that left Chilton over the Duncan and Bowman fiasco, I have changed since you last saw me. . . I'm just asking for a chance to prove to you that I am being honest. . ." he said politely "I'll buy you a cup of coffee" he added.

"Sure. . . I'll stay. . . but so more for changing, if you are trying to bribe me with coffee" she said loosening up a little now.

"Well I didn't change everything, I still know how to persuade people. . . but this time is different" he said matter-of-factly.

"Really? And how is that?"

"I believe that this time I am doing it for the right reasons" he answered.

"Oh! Um . . . Let's go in then" she said and led the way into the coffee house.

_-* At the same time, inside the coffee house *-_

"Could you have thought that we would bring those two together after all this years? You did know about them, right?" Janine asked curiously.

"Do I ever? Yeah, I knew about her. . . but, wow! I never thought that things would turn out this way. . . I mean what are the odds of something like this happening, I've never would've thought that the beautiful girl I met last night was even remotely related to the girl that has obsessed my friends' existence for years at a time, and bring them together" He said a little excited to finally put a face to the picture of the girl that Tristan had mentioned so many times over the years, and to see that maybe, now, Tristan would be happy and try to make things right, which ever the outcome.

"Yeah. . . well lets hope that he fixes the image that she has of him, at least, apparently she is going to give him a chance, 'cause they are talking and she is not biting he's head off"  she said as she pointed out  the window at both of their respective friends who were talking calmly.

"Well. . . could she do that, you know bite his head off" he asked silently.

"No silly. . . her mouth is not that big" she said kiddingly.

"I'm serious!" he said.

"Of course not!! She's Rory, she doesn't even eat anything from the cow that she is not supposed to eat, and she loves to eat.  Look I know you don't know her, but trust me, she is the most calm person that you would ever have the chance to encounter, so if your friend Tristan is making a good point he probably has good chances" she said, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

"So speaking about chances. . ." he said.

"Yeah" Janine said as she turned to face him.

"What do you think about our chances, do you think we have a good chance?" he said turning on such a charm, that Janine almost forgot how to think for a moment, but then she regained her composure and:

"Well, this was a chance encounter; you will have to keep your promise and call me, and will take it from there, Okay?"

"Oh, you can be sure I am going to call you, but what do you say, that for the time being, we just grab a table. . ." he said as he started walking towards an empty table ". . . sit down. . ." he said as he pulled a chair for Janine "and finish our coffee. . . lets call it a pre-date, pre-phone call, cup of coffee"

"Well, apparently it's a plan" she said as she sat down.

_-* Back in the same time frame *-_

Both Rory and Tristan walked back into the coffee house, and sat down at the table where Janine and Drew were sitting already.  There was an awkward  silence, but Janine decided to break it:

"So, you're Tristan? It is nice to meet you" she said emphasizing the words 'you are', sometimes being so direct was a flaw, especially in moments like the one they were going thru.

"Yes I am, and you are Janine, so it's nice to meet you too. . . what do you mean by 'you are'?" Tristan asked a little puzzled, with a slight smirk on his lips, which, as we all know, is his trademark.

Rory at this moment was trying to kick Janine under the table and making faces so she would shut up.  But wasn't able to do so.

"Well, I've heard a little about you" Janine answered not picking up on the signals that her friend was sending her way.

"Really!" he exclaimed a little too pleased with that fact, "Rory, have you been talking about me. . . and here I thought that I hadn't made an impression on you" he said a little teasingly, but expecting a positive response.

"Hey buddy, sometimes being talked about, is not always good, you don't know the kind of stuff she told me about you. . . but being the good friend that I am, here goes a try: how about . . . a certain PJ Harvey concert?" Janine said, waiting to see the expression on his face.  She had hit the target.

"Man, that is so true. . . my friend, you have been burned!!" Drew said to Tristan  laughing, and Tristan laughed to.

"Janine, I am going to like you, you are the kind of person that the world needs right now. . . and not only the world, if you know what I mean?" Tristan answered, and as he said those last words he pointed to Drew.  Janine actually blushed at the comment.  Drew didn't miss a thing.

"So Tristan. . . how did you manage to make my friend come in here with you?" Janine asked, she was extremely curious about the whole Tristan-Rory situation, and Drew wasn't doing much to stop her, because she was asking all the questions that were on his mind. . . boy, did he like the girl.

"Well, you being a friend of Rory should know that she thinks there is always good in everyone, considering that I have always proved her wrong about that, I was amazed that when I asked her to stay she did, after a little persuading that I had to do, but it was only means to an end."

"Yeah" Rory finally spoke up "he promised a cup of coffee that, as of right now, I haven't seen here" she said this as she pointed at the table in front of her.

"Oh, right! I'm on it" he got up from the table and went to get Rory's cup of coffee.  When he did, the questioning switched to Drew.

"So, Drew, it is now your turn. . . you are very eager aren't you?" Rory asked, referring to the whole car incident that had happened last night "considering that in the middle of the night, you would do what you did last night, screaming that way to a girl that you barely know" she finished.

"Well, Rory.  I act that way only when I like a girl, and well, I like your friend" he said this looking at Janine, who tried not to be affected by the comment, but it was useless, she had been.

"Well she is a great girl, and because she is a great girl I think I should tell you that you will never meet someone like her, ever." Rory said almost threatingly.

"Well, I am sure that what you say is true, and I really want to have the chance to share her greatness. . ." he said, and as he did he tried to sound as seriously as he could, because he honestly had never been this serious.

And when this was finished, Tristan finally showed with a cup of coffee for everyone, because it would have been too rude to just show up with coffee for Rory.  "Man, it takes forever to get coffee here, doesn't it?"

"Well," Rory said "it happens when you sell the greatest cup of coffee in a six-mile radius" 

"Yeah, that, and the fact the service is lousy, and it does take forever to get a cup of coffee here, no matter how descent the coffee is" Janine said to all three of them.

"So. . . a six-mile radius?" Drew asked.

"Yeah," Janine said "she tried every single coffee place in a six-mile radius, she knows from experience. . . if someone knows coffee, Rory does"

Rory was nodding in agreement while Janine gave this information to Drew.

"You know what?" Tristan asked "how about if we go out for dinner, it's a little early, but that way we have more time to talk, and you guys can be home early enough that you won't feel guilty later. . . what do you say?"

"Sure" Janine said, without even looking at Rory to consult about the invitation.

"Hey, Janine, I'm not sure. . ." Rory said.

"Come on Rory, please. . . its just dinner.  You guys pick the place, and it's our treat" Drew said, taking a little of the blame. . . that, and that he would have the chance to spend more time with Janine.  So they both win.

"Quick dinner?" Rory asked.

"As quick as you want it to be" Tristan said, but hoping that she would be in the mood for a six-course dinner.

"Ok! Sure. . . lets go.  How about pizza?"

"I'm all for pizza" was the answer that came out of the mouth of both Tristan and Drew.  Janine was always agreeable with Rory's taste for food, because she had almost the same.

The evening went by, with all four of them talking and laughing about everything, as openly as if they had known each other for what seemed like years.  Swapping stories, joking, and everything was so great that everyone forgot about the 'uncomfortableness' that had reigned at the beginning of their conversation at the coffee house.

When dinner was finally over, the guys got the bill, paid, and left.  They had walked there, so they took the same path back to the girls' home and where Tristan's car was.  As they were walking, Janine and Drew stayed behind and walked by themselves, and Rory and Tristan were forced to do the same.  As they were walking down the street, Tristan asked:

"So, what's the verdict?" Tristan asked Rory.

"The verdict?" Rory didn't understand where Tristan's train of conversation was going.

"Do you think I changed enough to be worthy of your friendship?" he said this, really meaning the part about the friendship, but hoping that in that way he would win her over, and have a chance of something other than friendship.

"Oh, that. . . well you have been in your best behavior, I'll give you that.  No 'Mary' comments, no leery remarks, just a really good conversation. . . Not that I am complaining, but I need to ask"

"Ask away" Tristan said.

"What happened to you? I mean, you left this really egotistic, selfish, cocky boy. . . but the person that I encountered today, you are a totally different Tristan, so I kept wondering what happened to you?"

"Well, as you may remember the last time I saw you, I was being shipped off to a Military School in North Carolina"

"Uh huh!" Rory said.

"I arrived there the same guy that you described just now, the egotistic, cocky, 17-year-old, but when you have people on your face reminding you, all day, every day, that you are worth nothing, that you were sent there because if you hadn't you would amount to nothing. . . 'cause all the guys at my military school, where there for similar reasons as I was, so imagine if you may, a room filled with as many. . . let's call them Tristan-like characters. . . in there as possible and all those angry army-frustrated men. . . well that changes almost every kind of guy.  It gives you a new perspective in life."

"As many Tristan-like characters, boy that has got to be a lot"

"It was.  But, I do have to say, that now I thank my esteemed father, Mr. Andrew DuGrey, that he sent me there.  Because then, after realizing that I didn't like that place at all, I started pulling my weight in school, and all of a sudden I was ahead of class, and graduating early, which gave me the ticket to get out of there, and then I went to College, graduated last spring.  And now here I am."

"And, where does Drew come in to this whole thing? You seem pretty close"

"Well, he was one of the Tristan-like characters that I mentioned"

"And how did that happened?" Rory asked, all of a sudden trying to figure out how two guys those, as described by Tristan, were very alike.

"Well, like I said, in that place you get to re-examine your priorities.  And, well, we did and then we started to get along." Tristan said, not really knowing at what moment Drew and him had become friends, real friends.  But then again guys don't remember those kinds of details and Rory understood that.

"Well, this is us.  So I guess I'll be seeing you around, because the way things are going between them" and as she did that she pointed to Drew and Janine, who were romantically walking hand in hand down the street way behind Tristan and Rory "we are going to see each other a lot, so. . . good night Tristan.  I really had a great time tonight."

"Hey Rory, before you go. . ."

"Yeah. . ."

"Do you think I could call you sometime, you know, to hang out and stuff?"

Rory gave him this look, and as in response, Tristan said

"It would be totally innocent, just to hang out, have coffee. . . something like that"

"Sure, Drew has the number, feel free to call. . ." She said, but then doubt hit her but it was too late.

"OK, I will" he said as casually as he could possibly managed, but thanking the fact that he was getting closer to Rory than he ever did when they were in school.  And that made him happy. 


	5. Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Disclaimer: Is Tristan Back on Gilmore Girls? No? Then I still don't own Gilmore Girls, it belongs to the WB.  
  
A7N: I am so glad that you've liked this story so far. I want to thank every single person that took the time to read and review my story, it means a lot to me, really!! I think I don't have any clarifications for you, so on to the next chapter of my story. Hope you enjoy reading it, as much as I enjoy writing it.  
  
Everytime There´s a Concert  
  
Chapter 5: Actions speak louder than words.  
  
So, after saying good night everyone went to their respective houses. Janine being the kind of girl that she is started the conversation, after they closed the door to the apartment building, when the guys drove off.  
  
"So that was Tristan, huh Rory?"  
  
"Yup. . . in the flesh" Rory answered.  
  
"Well hon, I have to tell you something. . . but before I do keep in mind that I love you, you are my best friend in the world but. . . the way you spoke about him, even though it was in your usual sweet way, one would have thought of Tristan like, I don't know, this really ugly guy, that would have a tail on his butt and, from time to time, you could actually see horns forming on his forehead whenever he spoke with you. . . but he is nothing like that, I mean, if you pay attention when you are looking, you could actually see a greek god, but if you don't, he strikes you like, I don't know, THE HANDSOMEST GUY ALIVE, or something resembling to that standard. . . just my opinion" Janine finished this very accurate description of the main guy in this story.  
  
"Well, you never did ask if he was handsome, truth be told" Rory said as a way of defending herself, but trying no to laugh.  
  
"True, True, I never did, that is a fact" Janine said a little puzzled "but, I don't understand how something that obvious would slip your mind mentioning it. I know no matter what he did to me, I would have mentioned how extremely gorgeous he is". "He is handsome, I'll give you that" Rory said, thinking a little of the time they had spent together that day.  
  
"Thank you. So, did you have a good time?"  
  
"I did, amazingly. . . I mean, it was nice, being there and hanging out and talking to him, really talking to him. It's amazing, but it got me thinking, that this could very well be the second, or maybe third time that I've had an actual conversation with him. But somehow I felt that I was talking to a completely different person, and apparently I was. He was telling me about school and how it changed him to be there, it gave him a new perspective in what he wanted to do, asides from leaving that place, and it made me happy to hear that." Rory answered back, amazed at what she was saying. Never in her wildest dreams did Rory Gilmore think that she would be speaking that way of, no other than, Tristan DuGrey. But then again she never thought that she would ever see him again. Little did she know that life had all sorts of things planned ahead for her.  
  
"So, from what you tell me, you had a nicest time than what you are willing to accept, huh?"  
  
"Apparently so. . . apparently so" Rory finished as they were finally walking inside their apartment.  
  
When they did, Janine saw the red light of their answering machine was flashing, and it read that they had 6 messages. So, she pushed the play button.  
  
* Beep *  
  
"My dearest Rory. . ." the unmistakable voice of Lorelai was heard, mocking an old movies´ way of reading a letter, "We are all doing well around here, we miss the way you always made coffee in the morning, and complained how your nut of a mother always woke you when you didn't want to. . . a enough of that, call me honey, OK? Bye"  
  
* Beep *  
  
"Rory, it's mom again. . . Luke is denying me coffee again, and he is being mean to me. . ." you could hear Luke's voice in the back saying "Lorelai, come on, stop calling Rory for this stuff. . . can you hear him sweetie, see, he doesn't even want me to talk to you anymore. . . Lorelai give me that phone. . . Rory its Luke, everything is fine. It's just that your mother in on her 9th cup of coffee today, and I think it's unhealthy. . . You know I am only protecting you Lorelai, because I love you. . . so good bye Rory"  
  
Rory laughed at this message. Hadn't Luke learned by now, that there was no way in the world that a Gilmore would last without coffee.  
  
* Beep *  
  
"Janine, this is your mother" both girls laughed at the difference between one message and the next "I hope you are doing well, I was just calling to say hi, tell you I loved you, and wish you a nice week. Good bye Honey"  
  
Janine's mom was one of the nicest, calmer persons that ever walked the face of this earth. Which was very contrasting from Lorelai's personality. But they, both, have had great mothers.  
  
* Beep *  
  
"Rory, Janine. . . this is John from the video store. Guys come on, you cannot keep doing this to me. You have to come and return the movies you rented a week ago, or this time I will really have to charge you the late- return fee, I promise"  
  
John was the greatest guy, he would always threat them about charging them the late fee, but never did. Both girls knew he had a crush on one of them, but they didn't know which one.  
  
* Beep *  
  
"Hey Rory, hey Janine, this is Lane. . . just calling to say hi. . . got to go, I have a bunch of things to do, bye"  
  
Lane had always many things to do, she would probably be running around school right now trying to finish them. The good thing is that no matter the distance, they always managed to be in contact. And although she had never met Janine, they always spoke on the phone whenever Rory wasn't home, and had gotten along ever since.  
  
* Beep *  
  
"Janine, this is Drew. . . Just calling to say hi, I had a great time tonight, and hope we can do it soon. . . see I told you I would call, didn't I?"  
  
Both girls just looked at each other. Janine was 14 shades of red after they heard the message that was obviously recorded, right after they left, but just before they came into the house.  
  
Needless to say, Janine was ecstatic. Not once before, had a guy had done that for her. Not that she had had so much experience with guys, but still, no one had ever done that for her, and it made her feel giddy.  
  
"Pretty impressive!!" Rory noted, at the well thought phone call.  
  
"Yeah, it was. . . can we play it again?" and before Rory could answer Janine was playing it over and over again. She had found a great guy.  
  
"We haven't had time to talk about this guy, you know? Judging by your reaction, you obviously like him." Rory stated, expecting her friend to continue the train of thought.  
  
"I do. He is nice, and polite, and educated. . . he pulled a chair for me you know?"  
  
"I know, I was there"  
  
"No, I mean he did it all the time, every time we were going to seat, he would pull the chair for me. You don't see that as often. And did you see the shoes?"  
  
"They were. . . black?" Rory said not knowing what to answer.  
  
"Besides that. He has neat shoes. And I have always thought that if a guy takes care of his shoes, he would take as good care of a girl as he does for his shoes"  
  
"You are comparing yourself to a pair of shoes?"  
  
"No, not the shoes. Ok I know it sounds weird. But if he can take care that well of something that meaningless, he would take so much more care in something more important."  
  
"I don't understand, but obviously you do, so as long as you understand yourself were okay" Rory said very confused by the comparison.  
  
"And he is nice, Rory. So nice. We were talking while we walked here. He is not your average guy. He is flirty. Very flirty. . ."  
  
"But you can hold your own on that department"  
  
"Yeah, but still. . . he never made any annoying or disgusting remark . . It was without a doubt PG-Rated flirting. Which is the nicest kind. The kind you built castles around."  
  
"That's great. I'm happy for you. . ."  
  
"I know you are" with this they hugged and Janine walked to the bathroom and started to change and prepare to go to bed.  
  
Rory on the other hand, grabbed the phone and dialed the familiar numbers to her Stars Hollow house.  
  
"Coffee Central, Lorelai speaking"  
  
"Hey mom!"  
  
"Hey kiddo, I knew it was you"  
  
"Really! So did your mind reading abilities finally kicked in, or did you decide to finally buy a phone with caller ID that will help us return phone calls when we cannot possibly find the darn thing"  
  
"As much as I would like to answer option a, which is the coolest, I would have to say option b, which is the lamest" Lorelai answered, a little disappointed.  
  
"It's OK mom! Keep trying, they would kick in eventually. . . I promise"  
  
"Yeah, I know. . . but in the meantime, tell me what have you been up to today?"  
  
"Well mom you are never going to believe what happened. Out of all the people in the world who do you think I ran into today at the coffee house?" "Tom Hanks"  
  
"No. . . Tom Hanks?"  
  
"Yeah, well, in 'You've got mail' he seemed pretty fond of coffee, going to starbucks every morning, and then having more coffee at the bookstore. . . it just seemed appropriate to think of him"  
  
"No, mom"  
  
"OK, tell me who then"  
  
"Tristan"  
  
"Tristan? Tristan who? . . . Oh my God, Tristan. Tristan who called you Mary; Tristan, the guy who got shipped off to military school, for good behavior, Tristan. . . Tristan the guy you kissed at that party, that time. . ."  
  
"All of the above, mom. That Tristan."  
  
"And how, tell me everything"  
  
"Well we were at the Coffee House with Janine and she ran into this guy that she met last night. . ." and so, Rory started to tell her about everything that had happened that day.  
  
"Wow!" Lorelai said, very surprised "so he really did change. Huh never underestimate the power of the army men."  
  
"He was really nice mom, and I'm glad about that. He seems pretty together."  
  
"How so?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Well, in the way he talks to you, in the way he expresses himself in general, the way he spoke of his dad, with whom Paris told me he never did have a good relationship with. Can you imagine that he didn't even call me Mary, at all!!" she said, realizing that herself.  
  
"Wow! I am truly amazed"  
  
"I am too."  
  
"So, are you going to see him again?"  
  
"Yeah, like I said, he is friends with the guy Janine likes, and apparently is going to start going out with, so we will be thrown together a lot, I think."  
  
"It doesn't bother you?"  
  
"No, why should it?"  
  
"Well, maybe he is just pretending he changed, as a new approach to actually try and get you this time"  
  
"As oblivious as I can be to certain situations sometimes . . ."  
  
"Most of the times" Lorelai interrupted.  
  
"Most of the times, I can tell you that he wasn't lying or trying to make this into a new way to get to me. And, he asked for a chance and I am giving it to him. "  
  
"Well, I hope you are right about this Rory, 'cause I wouldn't want you to get hurt by him"  
  
"It's OK mom, don't worry"  
  
"Ok. . . well I think we should stop monopolizing the phone, don't you think. Good night kiddo!"  
  
"Good night mom" and with this Rory hanged up the phone.  
  
-* Back to the guys *-  
  
"Janine, this is Drew. . . Just calling to say hi, I had a great time tonight, and hope we can do it soon. . . see I told you I would call, didn't I?" and he closed his cell phone.  
  
"Man, you really like this girl, huh?" Tristan asked amazed at the gesture his friend had with Janine.  
  
"Were you with us tonight, 'cause if you were you would've seen what an amazing girls was sitting right next to me"  
  
"I was, but just in case you didn't notice, right at that very same time I was sitting right next to the girl I have been longing for ever since I left Chilton all those years ago"  
  
"I know. . . Janine and I were discussing, what were the odds of something like this happening to us, all four of us? Because Rory never expected this, that I am sure of"  
  
"Well first, I am now a firm believer that faith works in mysterious ways, and second of all 'Janine and I' what was that?, are you suddenly a married couple?"  
  
"No, but it was with her that I was discussing said matter, hence the 'Janine and I' part. Is that just not done with you?"  
  
"No. No, it's not that, but you have never referred to a girl that way. It just struck me as odd, that's all"  
  
"Tristan, man, I've never met a girl like her, she is absolutely amazing"  
  
"Yeah, contrary at what you may think I did pay attention and I notice how you looked at her. You were totally amazed by her."  
  
"That's because I am. I really can't wait to see her again"  
  
"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship" he said, repeating what Rory had said to him once, so many years ago. He smiled at the thought, and then smiled even wider after he finally found out what that had meant and were she was quoting it from. He must've looked so dumb asking her 'who's Louis?'  
  
"What?" Drew asked.  
  
"Nothing"  
  
They finally reached Tristan's apartment building again. And as was done the night before, Drew got into his car, and Tristan walked in to his apartment.  
  
-* The Next Day *-  
  
The girls returned from school, with all this books for research. So they proceeded to grab their respective laptops and work on what seemed was going to be a long afternoon. They sat on their dining set, which was never used for dining, only for homework. It was a funny thing. They would start the week being able to find the table, because they would remove all the papers that would pile up during the week. By Wednesday, you could hardly tell there was a table under those mountains of paper and books. By Friday night, the table was lost. So Saturday was "Clean the Table Day" at their home. They would get a big trash bag, and start checking the papers and books, see which they could throw away, check due dates on the books they would get from the library and organize everything there. Cleaning the table took the most part of the day.  
  
But they liked that, compared to cleaning the bathroom. They would do rock, paper, scissors, two times out of three and that was the one that had to clean the bathroom. But hey, someone had to do it.  
  
So, as their were working, and reading, and typing frantically on their computers, the phone rang.  
  
"Let the machine answer it" Janine said, to concentrated to get up and answer the phone. When all of a sudden:  
  
"Hey Janine, it's Drew. . ." when Janine heard that she got off the seat and ran as fast as she could to the phone.  
  
"Hey, Hey, it's me" she said, almost out of breath because of the hurdles that she had to go through to get to the phone.  
  
"Did you just get in from the Marathon?" he asked jokingly.  
  
"Yeah, it was tough." She answered smiling.  
  
"Are you too tired to go out and have a cup of coffee with me now?" He asked hoping her answer would be no, and yes to the coffee.  
  
"Well, I don't know, we have all this homework to do and. . ."  
  
"Hey, you should go" Rory whispered as she got closer to were Janine was standing with the phone "I'll help you finish up when you get here, go!"  
  
"But I guess I can spare some time to go with you" she said a little confused, but trying to follow the train of the phrase she had started.  
  
"Great! Come down here, I'm waiting for you"  
  
"Were you that sure that I was going to say yes?"  
  
"No, just hopeful" he answered.  
  
"Good answer! I'll be right down" she blushed.  
  
Trying to be as natural as she could be, she brushed her hair, and teeth, and went down stairs to meet him.  
  
"Good Luck!" Rory said when Janine was closing the door to their apartment.  
  
"Thanks" and with this, she left.  
  
Rory stayed at home working on one of the papers she had to turn in at the end of the week, but if Chilton had taught her anything was not to leave all for the last minute, so she never did. That attitude, helped her keep at Yale a 4.0 GPA, which was admirable.  
  
Janine had been gone for over an hour by now, and Rory was working on something else, when the bell of her apartment rang. She got up to the intercom and asked:  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
"It's Tristan"  
  
Rory was totally surprised at this unexpected guess, but she still managed to answer  
  
"Come on up"  
  
Couple of minutes later, Tristan was walking in to her apartment.  
  
"This is a surprise. Big Surprise"  
  
"Well, you said I could call. So I thought that I would"  
  
"I thought you meant on the phone" she said a little amazed.  
  
"Oh, sorry. I could go if you want . . ."  
  
"Don't be silly, come in. Have a sit. Would you like some coffee"  
  
"Coffee sounds great. I hope I am not interrupting" he said as he saw the pile of books and papers at the table.  
  
"Oh! That! No don't worry, I was just getting ahead on some work."  
  
"A very Chilton-esk trait"  
  
"I know, the things that stick, huh? Judging by your experience, you carried that trait into the next level, graduating early"  
  
"Yeah, the trait and the exasperation of being in that place and wanting to get out" Tristan said, only half-joking.  
  
"So, would you like to watch a movie? I believe that I have one here somewhere"  
  
"Sure, whatever you like would be fine with me"  
  
"Great, just let me find it. . . aha!! Here it is"  
  
Rory pulled out a copy of Casablanca. When Tristan saw it he chuckled and said  
  
"Louis, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship"  
  
"You figured it out" Rory said, remembering that conversation, and being happy that he figured it out. But she didn't know why, she would be happy of either of those things, but she was.  
  
"I did. Once I was hanging out with my friends, and that being a famous quote I heard someone say it and I asked what that meant, and they told me about Casablanca, then I rented the movie to fully grasp the concept of the quote, and now here we are" he finished.  
  
"So, you researched and everything, huh?" Rory said, realizing that she had indeed made a mark on that boy so many years ago. Or so it seemed.  
  
"Yes, I did" he said proudly.  
  
"Ok, so. . . do you want to watch it again? 'Cause if you don't we watch something else"  
  
"No, Casablanca is OK"  
  
"Coffee is ready"  
  
"You need help"  
  
"No, that's OK, I can do this even in my sleep", and so could he, but she didn't know. When he met her, he started to drink coffee so they would have at least one thing in common. But as time went by, he got used to the flavor and loved it, and he drank coffee ever since.  
  
"OK, I'll wait here then" not really being any far from the kitchen.  
  
Rory came back, handed him the mug, and sat next to him on the couch. Then the movie started.  
  
There was no awkwardness between them, fact that made them feel at ease, and they started talking about everything and anything.  
  
"So what happened to your Harvard dream?" He asked.  
  
"How'd you know about that?"  
  
"Paris"  
  
"Oh, yeah, Paris. Well the applications came, and I applied. I also applied to Yale, because my grandpa is a Yale-man. Harvard rejected me, apparently not enough extra-curricular activities in my transcript, and they don't like that. So the next best thing was Yale. And as it turns out I love it here, I am relatively close to home, which is always a plus, and I love the program, and the people, and how they treat me here."  
  
"So you don't regret not going to Harvard?"  
  
"I did at first, but not anymore. How about you?"  
  
"Well, like I told you last night, I finished Military School early; and then I went to Florence and majored in Graphic and Web Design, which was very cool, and since the program was for three years instead of four, here I am"  
  
"Wow, Florence, that was one of my favorite places when I went with my mom"  
  
"You went to Europe with your mom?"  
  
"Yeah, you see, my mom and I we get along perfectly, she is my best friend, and we had planned that when I graduated from high school we were going to go backpacking thru Europe, and so we did for two months. It was fun, but we ended up exhausted"  
  
"I bet you did, but you enjoyed it so that's the important thing"  
  
"That we did"  
  
"So was your boyfriend devastated when you left?" this was the chance that he had been waiting for to find out about her love life, and he seized the moment.  
  
"Who, Jess? Well we had a very independent relationship, we were sad, but he never wanted to make me feel bad for leaving" Rory answered almost not noticing how the question was phrased at the perfect moment in the conversation. Tristan had achieved his goal.  
  
"Jess? What happened to Dean?"  
  
"We broke up at the beginning of my senior year in High School"  
  
"What happened?" He asked concerned and relieved.  
  
"Jess happened" she said shyly.  
  
"Oh!" he answered surprised.  
  
"Yeah, well, I didn't notice when it happened. You see Jess was the nephew of . . ." and Rory started to tell Tristan of everything we already know about Jess and how their relationship started ". . . afterwards Dean caught up with the fact that I liked him and we broke up"  
  
"I'm sorry, I think, but it obviously made you happy, so I am not that sorry" he said a little confused, fact she picked up from the tone of his voice.  
  
"That he did, he made me very, very happy, while it lasted. We broke up a little over a year into our relationship. Distance got the best of us, he went to NYU, and things got a little more difficult with time, so we decided to call it off. We still keep in touch, even more now, that my mom is dating Jess' uncle."  
  
"Well that's great" he said finally. But at the same time a little concerned that he was still in her life, mainly because the reason they broke up was not because they stopped loving each other, but because of geography.  
  
"And how about you, because if I recall correctly you were quite the ladies man" Rory asked.  
  
"Well, at military school you would only see girls on your day off, which was once every two weeks, so you couldn't really date that much, or that often."  
  
"But you still dated"  
  
"I did, but nothing serious"  
  
"Well, you never did date seriously at Chilton either."  
  
"Touché. . ." but what he really wanted to say was, how she could have make him change all that if she had just agreed to date him back then.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound that way"  
  
"Well after all it is the truth, right?"  
  
"Yeah, but. . ."  
  
"Don't worry Rory, you were just calling them like you saw them. I don't get hurt that easily."  
  
"OK, so then what happened? I mean you left for Florence, and you weren't in military school there, so what did you do?" She said moving the conversation along the same line where it was, all of a sudden she felt curious about what they where talking about.  
  
"Well I was in Florence for a little over three years and I dated this really great girl. . ."  
  
"Girl! As in Singular!!" Rory said shocked.  
  
"Yes, I told you that Military school changed me. And with this girl everything was great, but you know what they say, nothing ever lasts forever, and this wasn't the exception. We broke up, a few months before I came back here, I think before Christmas last year, and that was it. Then I dated a little but nothing formal, and then I came back here, and here we are" He finished, actually feeling happy to see Rory's reaction at the topic. She had shown interest at least on knowing about him, and what he had been up to, so that made him glad.  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"So Rory, I think that Casablanca being over is my cue to leave." He said as he got up from the couch and took the mug to the sink.  
  
"What time is it?" Rory asked a little concerned because Janine hadn't come back home and she had been gone for hours.  
  
"10 past 10, why?"  
  
"Janine, went to have coffee with Drew this afternoon around 5 and she's not back yet"  
  
"Would you like me to call Drew and find out where they are?"  
  
"They're supposed to be at the Coffee House, so we can go and check ourselves"  
  
Rory grabbed her coat from the rack, and so did Tristan and as they were walking out of the apartment, Rory leading the way, she ran into Janine and Drew kissing good night close to the door, so she turned around and put her finger to her mouth signaling Tristan to be quiet, and then placed her hands on Tristan's chest and make him go back inside.  
  
When she placed her hands she could feel his hard chest against her delicate hands, and she actually felt something resembling shivers.  
  
And when she pushed him back inside, she met those beautiful blue eyes and she actually felt electricity go thru her, and she just stood there holding his gaze, without even closing the door.  
  
And as she was looking into his eyes he felt that the air wasn't enough but he didn't want to breathe fearing that she would move, and it felt so nice to be this close to her, that he actually forgot to breathe for a minute or two. 


	6. Actions Speak Louder Than Words part 2

Disclaimer: As I write this new chapter, I still don't own Gilmore Girls. Are you starting to see a pattern here?  
  
A/N: I will like to take this space to thank each and everyone of you for reading my story and also thank all of those persons that take the time to review it, it makes me very happy and wanting to write even more. "You make me want to be a better. . ." writer (you know where that quote came from, right?). Also I would like to tell you that I love and adore CMM, have you seen him with that long hair? He looks nice, doesn't he? Oh! And for writing purposes only, we are going to pretend that Rory's birthday is in November, OK! There would be an extract of the episode "Rory's Birthday Parties" in this chapter which was written by Amy Sherman-Palladino and her group of talented writers.  
  
Every time There's a Concert  
  
Chapter 6: Actions Speak Louder that Words part 2  
  
After that minute or two, Rory snapped out of the trance she had fell into, and smiled as she looked at Tristan' s eyes. And he smiled back at her, as wide and as sincerely as he could. They both tried to pretend nothing had happened as they tried to follow the actions that they left unfinished.  
  
"So I think I should close the door", Tristan whispered, still looking at Rory. He was the first to break the silence, because he was the one who had the most to loose if he did something resembling Chilton-Tristan, and he didn't want to scare her away.  
  
"Yeah, I think it's wise" Rory whispered back at him as he placed his hand on the door behind Rory's back. When he leaned a little closer to close the door behind her, she felt something weird go thru her, and so she moved into the kitchen, trying not to look as if she was running away from something. 'Jean Paul Gautier, leave it to Tristan to smell fancy' she thought to herself as she moved.  
  
When she did Tristan actually felt how his heart skipped a beat, but tried to keep acting normally. He wanted to get Rory Gilmore the right way this time, giving her a chance to decide that she wanted to be with him and not force her into anything she didn't want to. And if getting Rory took him a lifetime, so be it. She was the one girl, he knew, was worth the wait.  
  
"So, Janine and Drew, huh?" Rory said, snapping Tristan out of his thoughts.  
  
"Yeah. . . well, it was bound to happen. Don't you think?" he asked as he sat in one of the chairs in the breakfast table at the kitchen, watching Rory make, yet, more coffee.  
  
"I guess, it is nice, really nice. She seems happy" she stated.  
  
"Well, he seems happy too. I've never seen him act like this with a girl, and trust me I've been around long enough to know that" He said, making Rory feel a little at ease with that comment.  
  
"That's great. Would you like some more coffee?"  
  
"Sure, why not!"  
  
"So you like coffee too, huh?"  
  
"Well yeah, but apparently not as much as you do"  
  
"Oh, well you know how they say that 80% of your body is water?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"Well, I'm 80% coffee, instead. I got that from my mom, among other things"  
  
"Really, what things?", he wanted to know. He knew how special Rory's mom was to her, and the logical thing to do was ask about her. And he really wanted to know too.  
  
"Well, first of all her name. She named me Lorelai after her; she was lying in the hospital, and she thought how guys always named their sons after them, so she decided that she would do the same. . ." she said as a way to answer the questioning look on his face, and saw how he understood after she finished explaining "her coffee addiction, main reason why I am mainly coffee. Her blue eyes, and white skin, not that suitable for summer, but what can I say. The ranting. The banter abilities you know so well, and wanting to fight for my life and hers, 'cause it hasn't been easy to go thru everything we did, both of us being so young and all."  
  
"She sounds like a great person, maybe I'll get a chance to meet her one day" he said hoping for and invitation to her Stars Hollow house one day.  
  
"You've seen her, she was at the play the day. . ." but she didn't finish that thought, he finished it for her.  
  
"I left. . . yeah! I probably did, but I think I don't recall such a pleasure"  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to . . ."  
  
"It's OK Rory, don't worry. It is after all a fact of life. I left that day, and you shouldn't feel guilty about talking about it. . . I am curious about something"  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Who took my place as Romeo? Brad?"  
  
"Paris!"  
  
"Paris!!!" and he started to laugh so hard, that he almost busted his gut in doing so. Rory joined him in his laughter, not because of what he was laughing about, but because he had the most contagious laugh she had ever encountered.  
  
After they finished laughing she added  
  
"Well I am glad it turned out to be so funny for you, because it wasn't for her. You should've seen her, she pulled up her hair, and put on this wig. She was in character in less than 5 minutes. But you know Paris, she wasn't going to let that grade slip away, after how hard she had worked on it. Especially with you acting the way you were acting"  
  
"Impossible"  
  
"Your words, not mine."  
  
"Noted"  
  
"Good. So do you think they are ever going to come in."  
  
"Well, mom! I don't know. Why don't you go and turn on the porch lights to let them know that we know that they are out there" making fun of her concern "Don't worry, Rory, they are both grown ups, and know what they are doing"  
  
"I know, I am acting a little like a mom, aren't I? Moving on then. So, tell me something else about you"  
  
"So you are not bored with me yet?" he asked hiding how happy he was, that she still wanted to talk to him, after so many hours together.  
  
"You can be anything but boring so, tell me then."  
  
And they started to talk about how Tristan and Drew were going to start their own company, and what they were going to do, and how they were going to do it. Rory was very interested with this topic of conversation, when she heard Janine's keys and then both Janine and Drew coming in.  
  
"Hey Rory. . . and Tristan?!" Janine said, very, very confused at the guest at their house.  
  
"Tristan?" Drew asked a little less confused than Janine sounded. Drew knew that it was a matter of time for this to happen, what surprised him was that Tristan had shown up there so soon. Wasn't he eager!  
  
"Hey guys!" Rory said, as if it had been the most normal thing to find Tristan sitting across from her at the kitchen table.  
  
"So, what have you too been up to?" Janine asked as casually as possible, but not succeeding at the task at hand.  
  
"We hanged out" Tristan said.  
  
"Had coffee" Rory said.  
  
"Talking about school"  
  
"Life"  
  
"Had more coffee" Tristan said as he lifted his mug.  
  
"The usual" Rory finished. "How about you? What have you been up too?"  
  
"Well, had coffee, talked, the usual" Drew said mocking them, but they didn't even notice. "Well good for you guys, good for you! So I guess I should go, it is a little late" Tristan said.  
  
"Yeah, I'm right behind you" Drew said "So, I'll call you, OK!" he said to Janine.  
  
"Ok! Bye, and thanks for everything"  
  
"Rory, thanks for everything I had a great time."  
  
"Yeah, me too. We should do this again sometime." 'Wow! Who said that?' Rory thought to herself, "You know, hang out and. . . stuff"  
  
"Sure, anytime" Tristan said really enthusiastic.  
  
"Bye!" The four of them said in unison. And the guys walked out the door, and the girls just stood there until they closed the door.  
  
"So Tristan, huh? You've come far from not being able to stand him, haven't you?"  
  
"Apparently so. This Tristan that I am getting the chance to know, is so much better than the one that went to school with me. We had fun today. But, as it seems, we weren't the only ones who had fun. How was coffee with Drew?"  
  
"It was great, we had fun, and we talked all the time we were together at the Coffee House, until they closed on us."  
  
"So what did you do after they closed? Because the Coffee House closes at ten, and I don't know if you noticed, but right now is a quarter to eleven"  
  
"Well aren't we nosy!!! We talked some more on the way and . . ."  
  
"Aaaannd?"  
  
"And then he kissed me, when we were getting here. It was so nice Rory! I felt like flying"  
  
"Wow! He brings the corny side out on you, doesn't he?"  
  
"Well he is amazing, and I had a great time with him. . . and he is such a great kisser. All of a sudden I thought that I was going to black out for lack of oxygen. . ."  
  
"But you didn't"  
  
"But I didn't, because here I am. That would be a terrible end to a coffee date now would it? Going to the ER because you blacked out for making out and not coming up for air"  
  
"Yes, I bet that ranks in the top five, we might have to survey it, but I think it would be right up there"  
  
"And on that note. . . I think I am going to call it a night, did you get any work done?"  
  
"Just a little, Tristan came over, like an hour after you left. So I didn't get to do much"  
  
"Oh, Ok! Well good night Rory"  
  
"Good Night Janine!"  
  
  
  
-* Back to the guys *-  
  
After they closed the door behind them, and started walking down the hall they looked at each other and smiled  
  
"So a surprise visit, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, all of a sudden I felt this urge to see her. So I got in the car, turned it on, started driving and came here, to this very building, so I figured I'd ring the bell to see if there was anyone home, and to my surprise, she was home, and alone, because you had come to pick up Janine earlier and we stayed there. So how did it go with Janine?"  
  
"I am still holding my last statement, she is amazing. Great girl. I really like spending time with her, we didn't even notice when it got dark, and then all of a sudden they were going to close the Coffee House, and we left the place, and then we got to the apartment."  
  
"So we both had great times, then"  
  
"Yeah, apparently so. This is me" Drew said when they reached his car parked close to the building.  
  
"OK, then I'll see you later man"  
  
"Yeah, bye" and with this they did the whole hand shake think with the snap of the fingers and everything and each went on their way.  
  
Tuesday went by without any new developments except for the phone calls, each of the guys made to each of the girls, with different purposes and topics of conversation with each guy and girl, of course. But they called.  
  
Someone might think that the boys seemed to eager, but for Tristan, he was finally reaching the point with Rory where he would have wanted to be with her when in school, but then again he reflected, that back in school that wouldn't have been enough, so he new that things were better now. As for Drew, well he was serious about Janine, and he made every effort to show that it was so. Even if he had known her for so little time, he enjoyed everything about her, her cheerfulness, her sense of humor, everything. He didn't love her of course, yet! But he knew that it was just a matter of time before that happened, he was almost sure of that.  
  
When the end of the week came, Janine had been asked out by Drew on their first formal date. So Rory was going to stay home and read a little. Little did she know that those plans were going to change really fast.  
  
'Ding-Dong'  
  
"Yeah" Rory answered the intercom.  
  
"How do you feel about going to a fair"  
  
"Come on up!" She already had recognized that voice, so she opened the door and went inside to brush her hair and put it into a pony tail. She wanted to look natural, but not that natural.  
  
"So, what do you say?" He asked when he came inside the apartment.  
  
"A fair? Well I haven't been to one for so long"  
  
"So is that a yes?"  
  
"Sure, just give a minute to change and fix myself a little"  
  
"Rory you look great like that, besides it's a fair, you really don't have to overdress yourself, get your coat because it is cold outside, put some sneakers on, and you are ready" Of course it was cold outside, but it was still bearable enough to go to the fair, besides it was the last weekend the fair was going to be in town and then they were leaving, so. . .  
  
"OK! Give me two minutes"  
  
"I'll set my watch" he said joking, as she smiled at him and turned away and into her room and put on her sneakers and got her coat, just as she had been advised to.  
  
"OK! I'm ready" she said when she came out.  
  
"That's gotta be a world record for girls everywhere, I assure you!"  
  
"You said, sneakers and a coat, and so I got sneakers and a coat, both activities are not as time consuming as you may think, but if you want I can go in there and take longer" she said, as she mocked his last statement, "you know, girls just like to keep you guys waiting, but we are usually ready on time, but don't tell that to anyone or I'll have to present myself in front of Women's Court for disclosing confidential information".  
  
"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me"  
  
"I hope so" she said trying to act untrustful, but failing at said task.  
  
"Come on, lets go" he said, as he chuckled at her 'confession'  
  
The fair was a lot of fun. They got on most of the rides there, except for the one's that could make them nauseous and prevent them from eating all the junk food that was there. Tristan wan Rory a stuffed tiger, that when she reached home and placed him on the bed, took at least half of it. Funny enough she named him Panther, what a contradiction, but then again it is Rory Gilmore we are talking about, although the ability to name things was Lorelai's, which you can tell for the lack of creative efforts put into the name of the tiger, she did give it a try. Tristan was amazed that Rory would eat so much and not even get sick. He enjoyed the time he spent there with her, it was as if he had brought a 5-year-old girl. But then she got tired, thankfully because he was beat.  
  
And with this they started a series of dates, that for Rory's sake were called "just hanging out", but every time they did that, Tristan would go all out, but cleverly, so she wouldn't notice the effort he put into said activities. He tried really hard not to make her uncomfortable, and succeeding, because she never did.  
  
But he wasn't the one always planning the things; she did a little planning of her own. She was always happy when they were together. One of the best things they did was have amazing amounts of coffee, which was great to not have someone complaining at how much she drank coffee, because he did too.  
  
They took on many activities together, and the most important thing was how one would let the other one be part of the other one's world. Here is how it went.  
  
Rory took Tristan once, to the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript library at Yale, which as you can tell was home of over 500,000 rare books and manuscripts, and she told him about the books that she loved and showed him where they were, and related to him what they were about, and what interesting things they were. And she told him, how her grandfather would love to see that, because she was sure that they had added more volumes since he had gone there.  
  
The next time Tristan took Rory to Artspace, which was this place where they showed new work in visual, literary and performing arts, combining both their tastes in things. She enjoyed the way he explained how the visual arts influenced many things that were 'new'. And he enjoyed looking around for the new tendencies in writing, and how Rory explained what was good, and what. . . well, wasn't.  
  
Rory took him to the parks that she enjoyed where she would usually be found reading when she had the time to enjoy the scenery, and he took her to play golf once, sport that she had tried once, very unsuccessfully.  
  
He even took Rory to a baseball game of the New Haven Ravens, but he spent most of the time explaining the sport to Rory, that kept asking questions because she wasn't a sports fan. But he explained everything so well, that she enjoyed what little she understood of it. She changed his reading habits, and he introduced her to the exciting world of cars. That part, she didn't enjoy.  
  
But they didn't go out all the time, sometimes they would just stay and hang out at Rory's and watched a movie. Janine was with Drew now, most of the time, and Tristan was really great company for Rory at this time.  
  
One day he showed up wearing leather pants, she couldn't let that one pass  
  
"Hey there, Renegade!"  
  
"Don't mock!"  
  
"And why not"  
  
"Because I got a pair for you, too"  
  
"Really and why should I wear something like this. . . and how do you know this are going to fit me?" she said as he held up the pair of leather pants.  
  
"I changed, but didn't forget. . . so I figured what size of pants you wore, and I got you these ones. Now, I need you to please, go, change into this leather pants, and we are going out. So go on!!"  
  
"Yes sir!!" she said, trying to do a military salute, but failed because she used the wrong hand to do it.  
  
"First, you have to use the other hand. . ."  
  
"Oh!" She said.  
  
"And second, you need to wear this for your protection."  
  
"Why? What are we going to do now?"  
  
"Go change and you'll see"  
  
"OK!" and so she went into her room and changed the jeans she was wearing for the leather pants Tristan had brought her. They fitted like a glove.  
  
"I'm ready, should I take something else with me?"  
  
"Nope, just that. Come on." And with this he grabbed her hand and they walked out of the door and then out of the building. And right in front of them was parked, Tristan's Ducati. He had to have the fanciest, best racing motorcycle in the history of motorcycles.  
  
"Oh, no! Tell me you don't expect me to get on that thing?"  
  
"Come on. It's going to be fun, you are going to love it."  
  
"What if we hurt ourselves."  
  
"We won't. You see, this is why I got you the leather pants, because they are so much more comfortable than regular pants, and if something did happen to us, we wouldn't even scratch our selves" he said reassuringly, and then continued "then we have the leather jackets, which they would prevent us from getting hurt on the upper part of our body" he said as he handed her, her leather jacket "and last but not least we have, helmets, which would protect our heads. . . so you see, you are now covered. . . besides, I would never do anything to hurt you, Rory." He said in the double sense of the word.  
  
If Rory hadn't put on her helmet, he would have been able to see, how much she had blushed at this last comment.  
  
"OK, so. . . where are we going?"  
  
"You'll see. . . hop on" and she did. She sat behind him and put her arms around his waist, only to feel the tightly packed abs this boy had.  
  
When she did this, he almost ran out of breath. To feel her arms around him only made it harder to concentrate. But nonetheless, he grabbed her hands and made her take a harder grip, so she would be sure that nothing would happen.  
  
And they started driving. They went to this beautiful place that connected New Haven with the beach, and she was amazed at the beauty of everything around her. Then they drove around Wooster Square Green, this amazing place that had the most beautiful architecture in all of New Haven and you could sit in these benches that were covered by the shades of cherry trees, and made everything around it seem even more beautiful.  
  
And then they drove back to Rory's.  
  
"I am totally into bikes now" she said as she removed her helmet and let her hair fall down. In doing so, Tristan saw how beautiful she was. Such a natural gesture had made him fall even more in love with her. And he removed his helmet too.  
  
"So, did you enjoy it?"  
  
"I loved it, LOVED IT. . . who would've thought that I would like something like this one day, but I did, it was amazing. . . thank you so much, Tristan, you never seize to amaze me" and when she said that she got a little closer and kissed his cheek. He could have wanted to make that moment last forever.  
  
"Well I am glad, I aim to please"  
  
"And you did. . . so what do I do with all this" she said as she held out the helmet and pointing to the leather outfit she was wearing.  
  
"Well, keep it. . . since you liked the motorcycle experience, then you should keep it so we can do it again sometime, OK?"  
  
"Sure. . . so do you want to come in"  
  
"I would love to. . . but I can't, I am meeting Drew over at this real state office, 'cause they are going to show us some appropriate places for the company, so I have to go."  
  
"Oh!," she said a little disappointed "that's OK. . . so, good luck then"  
  
"Yeah, thanks. . . bye" and he put on his helmet again and drove off.  
  
-* Back in Stars Hollow *-  
  
As their friendship progressed, everyone that knew her, and knew the story was surprised at this. But the most surprised was, of course, Lorelai. She couldn't believe the kind of friendship that was developing between her daughter and her former enemy, but then again everyone could change, and apparently he had. And she knew Rory was happy. Too happy. Lorelai wondered if Rory was falling in love with him, because she always talked about the cool things they did, and how they went there, did that, ate this, drank that. It was obvious to Lorelai that Rory was, in fact, falling in love with this boy, but knew that her daughter would take longer to figure this one out, as she always did.  
  
The phone rang, and of course Lorelai went into a frenzy to find the phone, when she did and answered the phone someone on the other end of the line said  
  
"Guess what I did today?"  
  
"Worked out?"  
  
"Mom, be serious"  
  
"I don't know kiddo, you tell me"  
  
"I took a ride on a bike, as in motorcycle"  
  
"You're kidding? Did you finally hook up with a biker. . . I am so proud of you"  
  
"Close. . . Tristan, has this amazing bike and he came over and we went for a drive, it was amazing"  
  
"So, you did hook up with a biker"  
  
"Well, in a way, I did, I guess" she said doubtfully, and then realized the meaning behind that comment.  
  
"So tell me, what bike does he have?"  
  
"A Ducati"  
  
"Really!!! That is an amazing bike. It is one of the best racing bikes, did you know?"  
  
"No, but I figured as much, considering Tristan owned it. He is after all Tristan Dugrey"  
  
"Yeah, that he is. So tell me what else have you been up to?"  
  
"School's going great, we have a lot of things to do, but I am doing fine."  
  
"So Bible boy, is not distracting you from official duties, huh?"  
  
"Nope. I have plenty of time to work on my school work and hang out with all of my friends"  
  
"Yeah, I like how you emphasized the word all"  
  
"Well mom, it is because I have many friends"  
  
"I know honey, it's just that you seem to have a favorite"  
  
"We just get along"  
  
"Of course you do, I am not saying otherwise"  
  
"Change of subject please. . . how are things with Luke?"  
  
"Great. . . he denies me stuff once in a while but. . ."  
  
"Mom, I hope for my sake that you are talking about coffee"  
  
"Dirty!"  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"Yes angel, I am talking about coffee. You know what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I ate a carrot once"  
  
"So his influence is starting to rub off on you"  
  
"He drank a cup of coffee"  
  
"And vice versa"  
  
"It was part of a deal, he would prove a point by making me have a carrot and I would make mine by making him drink coffee. The side effects were ugly. I almost had to drive him to the hospital"  
  
"You did not!"  
  
"That's right, I didn't. . . but he did drink the coffee for me"  
  
"Well, he loves you"  
  
"And I had a carrot"  
  
"Well, you love him"  
  
"Yeah, I do. . . you see how easy it is to accept things like that"  
  
"Yeah, after knowing him for almost 9 years, it comes really easy"  
  
"OK, change of subject please! So someone is having a birthday soon! What are your plans?"  
  
"Well I don't know yet, 'cause I have an exam programmed for that very day, so probably nothing"  
  
And they kept talking for a few more minutes, before they hanged up.  
  
'Rory, Rory, Rory', Lorelai thought 'when are you going to figure it out'  
  
  
  
-* Back in New Haven *-  
  
When Janine finally showed up, they didn't waste any time. They just started studying as soon as she arrived, the test was coming and they did have to cram for it.  
  
And so, this was the routine they followed for the next three days: Go to school, Go by the Coffee House to get a cup of coffee, go home, have lunch or something that resembled lunch, and then study. Janine didn't even saw Drew those days, because the grade for this test was worth 20% of their final grade.  
  
Finally the day of the test came, which was also known as Rory's Birthday.  
  
At 4:03 in the morning the phone rang at Rory's and Janine's. It was Lorelai. The usual birthday routine.  
  
"Happy birthday little girl" Lorelai said when Rory answered the phone.  
  
"Hey mom!" she said sleepily.  
  
"I can't believe how fast you're growing up"  
  
"Really? It feels slow"  
  
"Trust me, it's fast. . . anything you desire"  
  
"World peace"  
  
"I'll start working on that, then."  
  
"Do I sound older"  
  
"Yeah, senior citizens discount will now apply"  
  
"Great, think of all the money I can save now"  
  
"So you know what I think?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I think you're a great, cool kid, and the best friend a girl could have"  
  
"Right back at ya"  
  
"And it's so hard to believe that exactly this time many moons ago, I was lying in exactly the same position, only I had a huge, fat stomach and big fat ankles and I was swearing like a sailor on leave. And there I was. . ."  
  
"In labor"  
  
"And while some have called it the most meaningful experience of your life, to me it was something akin to doing the splits on a crate of dynamites. And I was screaming and swearing and being surrounded as I was by a hundred prominent doctors, I just assumed there was an actual use for the cup of ice chips they gave me. . ."  
  
"There wasn't"  
  
"But pelting the nurses was fun"  
  
"I love you, mom"  
  
"Shh, I'm getting to the part where he sees your head." And so the story carried on. It was a Gilmore Girls tradition to do this on every one of Rory's Birthdays no matter where they were.  
  
When Lorelai finished she asked  
  
"Any updates on your plans"  
  
"Nope, none"  
  
"Well honey, I hope you do great on your test, and I'll be calling to check up on you later."  
  
"Bye, Mom. And thank you"  
  
"Thank you for existing, bye angel!"  
  
And with this they hung up, so Rory went back to sleep.  
  
A familiar smell woke her up, and when she turned to see the clock on her night table, she found a cup of freshly brewed coffee on it. Janine made it for her, so she got up.  
  
"Morning, Panther" she said to the stuffed animal that was lying on the floor.  
  
"Happy Birthday!!!" Janine, Drew and Tristan screamed.  
  
"Thanks, guys!" she said when she saw the whole living room/dining room decorated with balloons and serpentines, and banners, and everything they could think of. And they were wearing Happy Birthday, crowns and hats. The table had been cleared off from the week's papers, and breakfast was served: Pancakes, and eggs, and bacon, and sausage, and hash browns and cake. . . all, courtesy of the guys (so courtesy of Tristan).  
  
"When did you guys have time to do all this" she said as they came up to her and hug her.  
  
"Well, I heard when your mom called, and I knew that you would fall asleep again. So when you did, I called the guys to wake them up, and I got up and started to decorate. When they showed up with everything you see here, I brewed the coffee that you are drinking right now, and that was it"  
  
"Well, great plan! I suspected nothing"  
  
"That was the idea," they said  
  
And they proceeded to have breakfast, and then the guys left, and the girls stayed home getting ready for school and left for their dreaded test.  
  
Her mom kept calling to her cell phone every two hours, asking how it was going. Emily sent her a basket full of odd things that Lorelai helped her buy and Richard sent her the usual envelope. Janine got her this really cute dress, just like the ones Rory wore to dinner with her grandparents. Drew gave her a First Edition of Anna Karenina. Lorelai and Luke sent her: 2 pounds of Luke's ready to brew coffee, a certificate to Friday's, New CD's, and a new laptop, that reminded her of her 16th birthday party. Oddly enough there wasn't a gift from Tristan. Not that she was expecting one, or that he had an obligation to get her one.  
  
"So, are we going to go out to dinner today?", Rory asked.  
  
"Yeah, tell me where you would like to go", Janine responded.  
  
"I'm in the mood for pasta"  
  
"Pasta for the birthday girl, it is"  
  
"Did you call the guys?"  
  
"Yeah, they're coming to pick us up later"  
  
"Then we should start to get ready then"  
  
"Yep" And so they did.  
  
The guys came over at 8 sharp, and they went to dinner. . . in separate cars. They got the staff to sing happy birthday to Rory, and made her blush in every shade of red existent. When dinner was done around 11:30 and they were starting to leave, Tristan said to Rory  
  
"There is just one more present for you tonight. . ."  
  
"Oooh! Let me see"  
  
"Actually I have to drive you someplace else"  
  
"Oh, OK" she said not really knowing what the present was.  
  
He covered her eyes so she wouldn't know where they were going, because she would probably recognize the route. When they finally reached the place, he stood her in front of the door and uncovered her eyes. She looked around, but didn't understand what was happening.  
  
"This is Barnes and Noble. . ." and a guy came over and opened the door for them "just for you, for tonight. . . pick out everything you want. Oh! And Starbucks is open for you too, so you can have coffee while you run around looking for books. It is not permitted usually, but since it's your birthday they are allowing it"  
  
Rory was amazed.  
  
"The whole store"  
  
"The whole store" Tristan answered back. "So enjoy, and don't worry about me. I'll be right here waiting for you" and as he said that he pulled a chair to him and sat down "go on."  
  
Rory couldn't believe her eyes, the whole store just for her. Tristan had really gone out for this one. He had to pull some strings and gave every person that stayed a bonus. . . although for some of the girls that stayed after hours, looking at him was a bonus by itself. She walked around for hours and after seeing that it was almost 3 in the morning she came over to where Tristan was, and said  
  
"I'm done"  
  
"Are you really?"  
  
"Well no, but it's late, and there's only as many books as I can take"  
  
"OK then, lets go"  
  
All the books she had picked out were packed and ready when she said I'm done, thanks to the guys that were following her around taking the books from her when she approved of them. And they walked out, Tristan carrying the books from her.  
  
"Thank you so much Tristan, it was really nice of you to do this"  
  
"Well, anything for the birthday girl."  
  
They finally arrived home, he carried the books into her room, they hugged good bye and he left. The next day, Rory called Lorelai to tell her everything about it.  
  
  
  
-* A few days later *-  
  
Rory and Janine were walking home after school, and to Rory's surprise, she saw Tristan at the Coffee House. . . with a girl.  
  
When Rory saw this she got so upset, that her face morphed completely. When Janine saw the expression on her face, she looked over and saw the same thing Rory was seeing.  
  
"What is he doing with that girl?"  
  
"I don't know, but I don't plan to find out either" and with this Rory started walking faster until they reached the building and went into their apartment.  
  
"You're not the least bit curious who the girl was?" Janine asked once they were inside the house.  
  
"I don't really care," Rory said visibly very upset "for all I know she could be the flavor of the month, or whatever"  
  
"But Tristan hasn't dated anyone, Drew told me, ever since you saw each other again" Janine stated a little confused at Tristan' s actions, but even more because of Rory's reaction. "We could find out, I can call Drew and ask him, he would definitely know who the girl is."  
  
"I told you I don't care" Rory spat, really pissed off.  
  
"Well, honey, for someone who doesn't care you are not acting like one. You're actions are speaking louder than you just did right now. If you are so mad why don't you go downstairs, into the Coffee House and ask him."  
  
"NOO!"  
  
"Look I know you're mad right now, but it is not my fault. I am not the one that made you mad by being with someone else"  
  
"He can do whatever he wants, I don't care Janine!"  
  
"Again, it doesn't show!! You like him Rory, or why else would you spend so much time with him, huh? And why would you be so upset right now?"  
  
"Well you seem to have all the answers, why don't you answer your own questions", and she started to leave.  
  
"Oh, no! You are not leaving this discussion Rory!"  
  
"Yes I am!!" and she stormed out of the apartment and out of the building, just to run right in to him. And he was the last person she wanted to see right now.  
  
"Wow, wow, wow!! What's wrong?" He asked as she almost walked over him.  
  
"Nothing!! Get out of my way"  
  
"Hey, why are you so mad? Did I do something wrong?"  
  
"You are not that important in my life, to make me upset for the things that you do!!" she stated.  
  
"Really? Well you are not telling me nothing new. I already knew that one" he answered with as much deceit as she had.  
  
"Well good for you, now let me thru"  
  
"No, tell me what happened first"  
  
"No, and hey! Shouldn't you be sitting right there with your new girl. Please don't let me spoil your fun"  
  
"What the hell are you so upset about? Last I checked I wasn't dating you so I can go out with who ever I want" he said, really upset now.  
  
"Exactly we are not dating, so go back to your girl"  
  
"Tell me Rory, why are you upset? You don't even care about what I do! So, how does my going out with anyone affects you? Please, enlighten me!!"  
  
"It doesn't affect me!!"  
  
"Well it doesn't show! To me you are visibly upset!!"  
  
"Nothing goes by you, huh?"  
  
"No, but everything goes right over your head, doesn't it?"  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"You're so smart, you figure it out"  
  
"I'm leaving!!"  
  
"Oh, no you are not! Tell me why you are mad at the fact that I was with another girl. . . Tell me Rory, tell me why you are mad, come on" he pushed and pushed to see what was happening, he needed to know. Apparently some things went over his head too. Or maybe he just wanted to be sure.  
  
"Because. . ."  
  
"Why, tell me Rory, please tell me" he said really mad, but not at her, at himself for expecting something that might just not come.  
  
"Because. . ."  
  
"I am going to stand right here in front of you until you tell me, there is no way you are going to leave this like that. . . tell me Rory"  
  
"Because I like you OK! Because I was completely jealous when I saw you with that girl OK! Because it reminded me of how you used to be, and that maybe you hadn't changed! Because I am totally and completely head over heels for you!!!"  
  
Tristan couldn't believe this words, he was completely amazed. And he just pulled her in, ever so softly, by the waist, looked deeply in to her eyes and kissed her, softly at first and then with all the passion that he had been holding back for so long. He couldn't believe it. These were the words that he longed to hear for so long. And this was the way he wanted to be with her ever since he met her that day at Chilton.  
  
They kissed for as long as they could hold it in, and when they couldn't kiss anymore, they would do it all over again, right in the middle of the street.  
  
Lorelai was right, it felt really good accepting your feelings.  
  
* * * A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. I believe I am almost done with my story, unless you suggest me otherwise. I want to apologize in advance, but I won't be updating over the weekend because I have a bunch of work to do, with my finishing the semester and my life as a college student. So enjoy. Read. Review. And on Monday, you will have a brand new chapter. I hope all my references to New Haven are accurate enough. I had to research online, because I've never been there. 


	7. The Past Always Catches Up

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Gilmore Girls, just thought you should know.**

_A/N: First I would like to apologize for taking so long to put this chapter up, I've had many things in my mind right know, so this might be a bit short._

**Every Time There's a Concert**

**Chapter 7: The Past Always Catches up**

So as they were standing on the sidewalk, not believing what had happen between them and being as happy as they could actually be, especially Tristan since he had been waiting for this since he was 16, they finally decided that it was time to move from that place, so Rory finally spoke.

"Hey. . . um, as much as I am enjoying being here with you. . . do you think that we could go upstairs, because it is getting really cold out here" she said, and it actually was, considering it was November in Connecticut, and you can only imagine how cold it can get there.

"Sure, but you know what, I have a better idea" he said as he hugged her tighter and wrapped his coat around her as he did "why don't you go upstairs, change, and I'll pick you up in, lets say, an hour. . . we can go out and celebrate, what do you say?" he asked as he kissed her forehead while waiting for her answer.

"Okay! That sounds nice, I'll be ready and waiting in an hour" she answered.

And with this they kissed good bye and finally let go of each other after what seemed like minutes but had been hours.  Rory went up to the apartment and Tristan went on his way to his own place, just after watching her go inside.

Rory was walking in a daze, she didn't understand or know exactly at what moment she had started feeling that way, but it was one of the nicest feelings she had experienced in her life, the way things had been. . . she finally reached the apartment and opened the door to find Janine standing there, cup of coffee in hand.

"I am so sorry, Rory" she said first thing as she handed Rory her cup of coffee, "I shouldn't have pushed that way"

"That's OK", Rory answered as she took her cup of coffee "you were only calling them like you saw them. . . and you where right"

"Yeah, but that wasn't the way to. . . I was right?" Janine asked very confused at this moment.

"Yes, Janine, you were right. . . you cannot imagine how I felt when I saw Tristan with that girl there. . . I got so mad, and I didn't understand what was happening. . . and I kept asking myself, who the hell was that girl? And it was tormenting me. . . I felt jealous, and it was killing me"

"And, what happened?" Janine asked even more confused.

"Well after I snapped at you and left the apartment, I went downstairs without any direction, and as I was coming out of the building I ran into something, which turned out to be someone, who turned out to be Tristan and he asked me what was wrong. . ." and Rory told Janine the whole story about how they started fighting and then Rory telling him that she liked him, and the kissing and everything.

"Wow! I mean. . . wow!!" Janine couldn't even find the words to say anything, she was amazed.

"Monosyllabic, very impressive!" Rory said teasing her, knowing that Janine was many things but monosyllabic.

"Well I am in shock here. . . you just dropped this on me, and although I could smell it from a mile away, I never imagined that things would turn out this way, I mean you getting mad at him and just telling him like that. . . you are usually so. . . not like that!!"

"I know, but he just kept asking me and asking me, and I couldn't take the face he had, Janine you should've seen it, he had an expression of hurt. . ."

"Well, a minute before you had told him that he wasn't that important in your life"

"Yes, but that was because I was mad at him. . . you know I wouldn't hurt someone that way, by saying something that. . ."

"Nasty" Janine finished for her.

"Well. . . yeah, but I would have said mean" Rory answered.

"Hey, um, Lorelai called.  She asked that you call her back" Janine said.

"I'll do that while I get ready. . . thanks for the coffee, and. . . everything" Rory said, and Janine knew that it was because of what had happened earlier.

"Sure" She answered back, and got back to the couch and the book she was reading.  She covered herself with the quilt that they usually kept on the couch for such occasions, being that both friends were avid readers of everything and anything.

Rory walked to her room and on her way she grabbed her cordless phone.  She first went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, washed her face.  After this she went to her room.

She grabbed the phone and dialed the phone number without even looking at it.

"Hello" and familiar and grunt-like voice answered the phone.

"Hey Luke!!"

"Rory, how are you?" he asked in the same tone.

"I am doing amazingly well, how 'bout you?"

"Your mother is driving me insane, she keeps complaining about the lack of coffee and some other things that at times I block out"

"So what else is new, Luke you should know by now that, that is Lorelai, the one you know and love. . . it's those characteristics that made you. . ."

"Boy aren't we in a romantic mood today, you know what, I'll put you on to Lorelai now" he said, but Rory knew that, that was just a way of Luke dealing with stuff he was uncomfortable.

"Bye Luke"

"Bye Rory, nice talking to you!" he said sincerely before handing Lorelai the phone.

"Hello angel!!" Lorelai said when Luke handed her the phone.

"Hi mom.  Mom, why are you tormenting Luke? One day he will actually NOT give you coffee, and you know he can"

"I know, but hey, isn't it fun just to tease him that way."

"Yeah, but there is just so much a person will take before they start going thru with their threats"

"I know, I know.  I promise that from now on I will only tease him a bit.  So tell me about you" she said these last few words as if she was an in-depth interviewer.

"Well, school is going well, a bunch of word to do as usual but then again that's Ivy-league for you, Janine and her boyfriend are doing well. . ." but Rory got cut off by Lorelai.

"Yeah she told me about that when I called earlier. . . she also told me about a certain incident concerning Janine, you, and a certain boy sitting in a coffee shop with some girl. . . do you think you can elaborate on that story for me?"

"Janine doesn't keep anything to herself, does she?" Rory said.

"Well she was concerned about you, she said that you left very mad, and that you hadn't returned yet" Lorelai answered in defense of an absent Janine.

"I know, I spoke with her before calling you", she said to put Lorelai at ease "See, what happened was, that when we were coming back today we saw that Tristan was sitting at the Coffee House with some girl, and all of a sudden mom, I was so upset"

"Well, seeing the boy you like with someone else, doesn't always bring a smile to your face"

"Yeah, well, at the moment I hadn't realized that.  But then when Janine brought it up to my attention I got so mad, but not at her, but at me for not noticing what was right in front of me"

"You tend to be a little oblivious in that matter" 

"Thanks, mom" Rory answered, sarcastic.

"The Jess charm, I thought that by know, that had been passed you" Lorelai answered when she heard the heavy tone of sarcasm that filled Rory's last words "So, go on with the story" Lorelai asked before Rory could answer at her last comment.  She knew that Jess was one of the many things that Rory was not able to handle, even now.

And Rory kept telling her the story of how things happened, and what she said, and what he answered, and all of the details.  Lorelai was giddy, she was happy for Rory because it was time that Rory settled into a new relationship.  And from what she could hear, Tristan made her happy, even if she didn't really know the guy considering that the only time she had seen him, was that brief moment way back when he was saying his good-bye's to Rory at Chilton.

As Rory, was talking to Lorelai she looked around her closet for something to wear, and shoes, and did her hair.  She wasn't wasting any time.

"That sounds sooo good hon! And when he kissed you, did he tilt you to one side just like Humphrey Bogart would do?" Lorelai asked almost hyper-excited.

"Sorry to disappoint, but no, he didn't, but he was really sweet when he kissed me"

"Of course! That poor boy had probably been waiting for this since God knows when"

"So mom, how are things coming for Thanksgiving?"

"Well, really well, I have managed to accept only two invitations this time"

"Good, I just don't see how we can pull of again four invitations. . . how we did it last time is still a mystery to me"

"Well we trained ourselves for that time for a lifetime, considering all those movie nights and everything"

"You are right about that. . . so mom, as much as I am enjoying this conversation with you, I have to finish getting ready for tonight.   Tristan is picking me up in 15 minutes"

"Sure sweetie, so call me tomorrow and give me the details ok?"

"Ok, bye, mom. . . love you"

"Love you too, honey. . . bye"

And with this they hung the phone.  And each of them went to their activities.

_~*~ In Stars Hollow ~*~_

"What happened?" Luke asked Lorelai as she got back to the couch where they were sitting before Rory's phone call. 

"Well, Rory has a new boyfriend apparently" Lorelai answered as if it was the most normal thing in the world.  Which in some cases it would be, but for Rory finally realizing there was something there, was a very seldom occurrence.

"She did sound happy" Luke noted.

"And she was" Lorelai answered.

"Are you? Happy I mean, " Luke asked.

"In general, with you or about Rory?" Lorelai answered shifting so she could carry the conversation with Luke face to face.

"About Rory?"

"Yeah, I am. . . although this time, this guy, I just have the feeling that he won't let her go that easily, you know?"

"You think?"

"Yeah, you see he had been trying to get Rory ever since she started Chilton, and he had the chance now, and I don't think that after it took him so long to finally get to where they are, he would let it go that easily"

"And is that good or bad?" Luke asked, because he couldn't read Lorelai's expression on the matter.

"I don't know Luke, I don't know" she said as she shook her head and then placed it on Luke's shoulder "I'm hoping, good"

_~*~ At Tristan's apartment ~*~_

He got the keys to his apartment, still amazed at what had taken place minutes ago, and not being able to believe it yet.  When he opened the door he found his friend Drew there.  Drew had a key to Tristan apartment as Tristan had one of Drew's, so he wasn't startled.  Drew was still working on their business plan, which they both had neglected a bit since the girls appeared in their respective lives.

"Hey"

"Hey man, I figured that if I had some time right now I'd come and work on. . . what's with the face?" Drew asked when he noticed that Tristan wasn't even paying attention to anything that he was saying.

"Oh, nothing. . . so the business plan, huh?"

"Yeah. . . what happened to you?"

"I can honestly say I don't know, but whatever it was, it was the best thing that has ever happened to me" Tristan answered, a little absent-minded still.

"What? Did Rory finally say she liked you or something?"

"Yeah, she did" he said finally looking at Drew, just in time to see the face of amazement that his friend had the moment he let those words out.

"So, shouldn't you be jumping up and down, I mean. . . Rory Gilmore, PJ-Harvey-Juliet-Formerly-Known-as-Mary Rory Gilmore, said she liked you, and you are acting that way"

"Well it was odd, you know? We were having this fight and she said something and I snapped back, and then all of a sudden she was telling me that she was head over hills for me"

"So? Wasn't that what you had been waiting for?" Drew asked confused at why Tristan was acting that way.  She was the one girl he kept obsessing about for years and years and know he was confused, to say the least.

"Yeah, you're right.  I mean don't get me wrong I am happy, extremely happy, but things happened so fast that I didn't even have time to digest them.  She was so mad, man, I mean she said stuff like 'you are not that important in my life' and such, and then she said that.  I couldn't even believe my eyes, ears, anything. . . you could've hit me over the head with a bat at that moment and I would've not felt it.  But you know what? I am happy.  Finally Rory Gilmore, and believe me Drew I am not going to let that girl get away, not in this lifetime, you can be sure of that"

 "I would've never doubt it"

"Hey, why don't you and Janine join us tonight? We are going out to dinner" Tristan asked, now realizing what had finally happen between him and Rory.

"Thanks for the offer, and as nice as it would be, you are going out with Rory, for dinner, to celebrate, the last thing you guys need is another couple hanging with you guys, so we'll take a rain check.  There would be more time for the four of us to hang" Drew answered politely, knowing that his friend wasn't in his 'right' mind at the moment.

"OK, sure. . . I'm gonna get ready, help your self to anything"

"You know what? I have to go anyways, so don't worry.  I'm going over to Janine and Rory's so I guess I'll be seeing you in a while" Drew answered and with that, he grabbed his keys and drove over to the girl's apartment.

~*~*~*~

Drew drove over to Janine's house, but before he did he went in to the Coffee House and bought three cups of coffee, one for each one of the girls and him.

He rang the doorbell, and Janine buzzed him so he could get into the building.

He reached the girls apartment and knocked on the door.  Janine opened it for him.

"Hey" he said when he saw her.  Her hair was in a very cute-but-a-little-messy bun and she was wearing jeans and a t-shirt.  He liked  it when she looked as relaxed as she did right now.  

"Hi! I thought you weren't coming tonight" she said as she helped him with the cups and kissed him lightly, really happy about the surprise.

"Yeah, well. . . I needed coffee, and a drive, and see a pretty girl. . . and what do you know I drove, I got coffee, and saw this really pretty girl. . ." he said jokingly.

"I missed you too, sweetie" she said.  By now, after dating steady for a couple of months she had gotten to know him well enough to recognize that, that was the way that he said he missed her, "Come on in. . . Would you like to watch a movie or something?"

"Sure. . . hey, give this to Rory for me, and tell her that Tristan will be here in a couple of minutes" he said as he handed Janine the cup of coffee for Rory.

"Sure, she will love the coffee, she's on the phone with Lorelai right now, getting dressed and everything" she continued the conversation "give me a minute, I'm going to get one of the movies and I'll be right back"

"Ok!"

Janine knocked on Rory's door and when she opened the door, Janine whispered.

"From Drew" and she handed Rory the cup of coffee.

"Thanks" she mouthed back.

Janine went to get the movie and met back with Drew at the kitchen.  He was preparing popcorn and coffee and sodas for the movie.

"Do you feel like pizza?" Janine asked as she entered the kitchen and helped Drew get everything set up.

"How 'bout later.  Let's have this first and see what we are in the mood later.  Maybe Chinese" Drew answered back.

They liked to stay in sometimes.  They would hang out and talk and make out and basically enjoy each others company.  They had been that way since the time they met at the bar, and when they hanged together they had great times.  They understood each other  as well as any couple that had been together for years.

"So how's Rory about the whole Tristan thing?"

"She's still a bit shocked.  She says she didn't know when it happened"

"Yeah, Tristan is the same way right now.  So, um, what have you decided to watch tonight."

"How about this?" she said showing Drew the 'Only You' "It's really nice, total chick flick of course, Marissa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr, and how destiny threw them together. . . what do you say?"

"How about the Fast and the Furious? Total guy flick, cars every where, no story line, but again the cars make up for it"

"Sorry babe, we don't have that one. . . see we are girls here, and we care so little about cars and everything. . ." and she started laughing just as Drew picked her up from the floor and kissed her, just so she wouldn't finish the sentence.  Ah! The first months of a relationship have always been the best.

As they were starting to watch the movie, the doorbell rang and Rory got out from her room and went to the door, and of course on the other side of the door was Tristan.

"You look great!" he said as soon as Rory opened the door for him.

"You don't look so bad yourself" she answered back as she kissed him hello.  

"Thanks. . . are you ready?"

"She has been ready for hours" Janine yelled from the inside of the apartment.

"Yeah, I am" Rory answered.  Just as when he had met her, she didn't take long to get ready, since she used almost no-make up, her hair was ready in a minute, and just about anything would look good on her.  Finally Lorelai's influence in clothing style had rubbed off on her.

And with that, they both said their good bye's to the other couple and went on their way.

"Aaah! To be young and in love!" Janine said, jokingly.

"Yeah grams, you are right!" Drew answered playfully imitating an old person's tone of voice.  Janine hit him playfully on the arm, and he hugged her, pulled her to him and kept watching the movie.

_~*~ Meanwhile Rory and Tristan ~*~_

"So, where are we going?" Rory asked Tristan as they were walking down the hallway.

"Are you in the mood for Indian food?" Tristan asked.

"Am I ever!!"  Rory answered back, excited about the idea.

"Then I guess Indian food it is" he said as he hugged her by the waist and kept walking towards the car.

And so the celebration went on that night, and they talked about how things had changed, about happiness and all the mushy stuff new couples talk about.  They would walk hand in hand to just about anywhere.  And their relationship progressed amazingly well.

One day Rory did have to ask him something, and because she didn't know how to start the conversation, she sat next to him on the couch at her apartment and grabbed his hand lightly, and just dropped the question.

"Who was the girl?"

"The girl?" Tristan asked, but as his words came out he realized who she was asking about, "oh! The girl"

"Yeah, the one you were with over at the Coffee House that day, who is she or who was she?"

Tristan took a deep breath before answering that question.  He needed to phrase his answer the right way so there will be as little conflict as possible.

"That was Chiara" he said, as if it was a given who she was. . . and it was.

"Chiara?" Rory asked then realizing who Chiara was "Oh! Chiara!! Huh!" she sighed.

"Yeah. . ." he said not knowing what to expect.

"What was she doing in New Haven, Tristan?" she asked curious, but not mad. . . yet.  Apparently she hadn't realized the full proportion of the situation.  But she was going to.

"She came to visit" he stated as calm as possible.  He knew that he was walking over egg-shells right now.

"Huh! What for?" she said a little upset now by the little elaboration in his answers.

"I don't know yet, she called me and told me she was here, and to meet her over at the Coffee House, for an espresso. . ." he was telling Rory, as she cut him off.

"Out of all the gin joints?" She said, and the quote of Casablanca didn't go over Tristan's head.

"She doesn't know the town, she found the Coffee House and she said to meet her there, it wasn't on purpose Rory, it was a coincidence" he answered back.

"You haven't answered my question, what was she doing here?" Rory asked again.

"Look Rory, in all honestly, she was visiting me of course.  I'm sorry to be so blunt about it but it is the truth.  Why else would she be here?"

"I know that she was here for you, but why was she was here for you, is the real question" trying to keep her jealousy to the minimum, but not succeeding.  As any other girl, she felt threaten by the presence of the 'ex-girlfriend', and in Tristan's case the only serious one he ever had.  That would make any girl uncomfortable. 

"Remember how I told you that things finished one day, before Christmas.  Our relationship changed.  It was a very monotonous at the end, so maybe she thought it was only time apart what we needed."

"Yeah, go on"

"Well she came here, because she met someone and he proposed a couple of days before she came here, and she was uncertain about the answer she should give him, because she needed to see if there was still something between us."

"And was there?" Rory asked, concern filling her words.

"Not on my part. . . and not on her part either" he answered and saw how Rory's expression changed completely.

"How did you find out?" she asked.

"Well, we started talking and she told me about the guy, and you could see how her face lit up when she did.  And I told her about you, and that we had met again, and I guess she felt that the way I felt about you had never changed.  It was a given when we were just catching up on what had happened in our lives after being together, but nothing beyond that.  So she got her answer and went back to Florence two days after you saw us together. . . with her wedding gown packed in her suitcase.  We might even have to attend a wedding in Florence."  He stated this last comment as a joke and Rory went on with the joke in her own way.

"Apparently I have plans for that day" she said.

"I never told you when it was" he said as he pulled her closer to him and kissed her lightly.

"Yeah, but I plan to be extremely busy. . . and so would you be"

"I will?" he asked.

"Yeah, you will have to help me out with my busy-ness" she said joking now.

"Busy-ness. . . Rory, I don't think that word exists" he said as he smirked at her.

And they kept talking and kissing and joking. 

Thanksgiving came around, and Rory asked Tristan one day:

"What are your plans for Thanksgiving?"

"Nothing that can't be rearranged if a good offer comes along.  Why?"

"Well, since my mom hasn't been able to come up here to visit, and therefore meet you, I was wondering if you would like to come with me for Thanksgiving to Stars Hollow and meet my mom and everyone.  There are only two invitations, for this year, that we are attending which are Sookie's and Luke's, mom's boyfriend and coffee supplier, and Stars Hollow is an experience by itself and. . ."

"Rory. . ." Tristan cut her off.

"Yeah. . ." she said hoping that he wouldn't say no.

"Stop marketing your invitation, I would be more than honored to come to Stars Hollow with you and visit" he said

"Really. . ." she asked excited that he had said yes "great, then I'll call mom and tell her you are coming with me"

"Is there anything that I should know before we go there?"

"Good question. . . here are some pointers: never call my mom Mrs. Gilmore, call her Ms. Gilmore or Lorelai if she tells you to.  Expect a lot of food over at Sookie's, and expect a non-traditional Thanksgiving at Luke's.  The coffee runs in our blood so expect the same amounts of coffee consumption over at my mom's house.  Expect the mother talk where she tells you not to hurt me and how she would hunt you down and kill you if you harm me in anyway possible.  Don't expect a home cooked meal while in my house.  And, we always have pop-tarts and coffee prior to breakfast at Luke's diner." 

"Anything else?" he asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, everyone in Stars Hollow is a character by him/herself, but expect to be the talk of the town and people knowing your life's story while in town, few hours after you set foot there.  And people will make comparisons about which actor, music player or singer you look like. . . if I think of something else I'll tell you" Rory said really excited about it.

"Wow, quite the experience that town of yours"

"Yeah, but it is always good." She said as she smiled at him, and hugged him and said "it will be worth it, trust me"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving finally came, and they packed and by late afternoon both Tristan and Rory where on their way to Stars Hollow.  They would be staying at Lorelai's house, because it was home, and insisted that Tristan should stay with them instead of going to the Independence Inn, as he had suggested before.

They finally reached Stars Hollow, and drove over to Lorelai's.  Everything was set for their arrival that day.  Lorelai even went by Doose's Market and bought extra Pop-Tarts and milk, some apple juice, extra coffee for their guest, bread and some chocolates.  All the essentials for the Gilmore Residence.

"Turn here" Rory directed Tristan as of where to go, and turn.  Although he had visited Stars Hollow before, he had never been to Rory's, so he had to ask directions.  "Over there, next to the pink house with the gnomes" Rory gave the last direction, giving Babette's house as reference as to where theirs was.

Tristan got into the driveway and parked behind Lorelai's new Jeep.  She had finally given up on the one that she had before, and bought another one a couple of years ago.  

Luke would probably be arriving later and everyone else also, just as soon as the word spread that a black – unknown – BMW, with polarized windows, had arrived to Stars Hollow and was staying at the Gilmore House; everyone would drop by 'casually' to visit and see the 'mysterious stranger'.

"We're here" Rory finally said excited "come on, hurry.  Will get the luggage later"

"But what if. . ." Tristan asked, worried about leaving stuff in the car that might be stolen from, but Rory cut him off so she could put him at ease.

"This is Stars Hollow, Tristan, crime rate 0, don't worry, really!!!" she said in her sweetest voice, so he stopped worrying.

They got out of the car and started walking towards the main entrance.  Tristan took a deep breath as he held Rory's hand and when she noticed that, she hugged him by the waist and got a little closer to him, lifted he head to meet his eyes and said:

"It is going to be okay, my mom is one of the coolest persons in the world.  She is going to welcome you in our home, just as she did before.  Nothing will happen. . ." 

"Except the 'mother talk'" he stated.

"Except the 'mother talk', but I already told you how that one goes, so don't worry, as long as you as you reassure her that you will do nothing to me you will pass with flying colors.  I'll even go to the bathroom soon after we arrive, so you can get that part of the visit out of the way.  What do you say?"

"I say. . . lead the way, Miss Gilmore?"

"Off we go then, Mr. DuGrey" and with this she kissed him full on the lips in the middle of the front lawn, and grabbed his hand and led the way.

"Hey, can you give me another one of those?" he asked wanting another kiss and trying to stall a bit more his entrance.

"She already knows we are here, I bet she is looking out the window right now.  As much as you stall, you will have to come in eventually.  And besides, if we don't she will come out here and pull us in.  So come on" she said and they started walking to the door.

Rory got her keys and opened the door.  Lorelai was sitting on the couch watching a documentary on ants on Animal Planet, a very clear sign that she was, indeed, looking out of the window.

"Mom!!!" Rory yelled when she came in, still holding Tristan's hand.

"RORY GILMORE!!!!!" Lorelai yelled from the inside and went directly to the door to greet her daughter, it had been a while since they saw each other.  Three weeks exactly.  Rory hadn't been able to come to Stars Hollow because of extra school work.

When they saw each other, Rory let go of Tristan's hand.  And hugged her mother as tight as possible, just as Lorelai did.

"How are you, kiddo?"

"Glad to be home" Rory answered back.

"Glad to have you home" Lorelai said, both Gilmore Girls not letting go of their embrace.

Tristan stood there watching the scene.  Never in his lifetime had he seen such a tender and loving greeting scene.  He thought way back when he came over to his parents house on vacation from Florence, and as hard as he tried to remember he had never gotten a greeting like the one Rory just got.  

When they finally let go of each other, Rory introduced Tristan to Lorelai.

"Mom, this is Tristan" she said as she intertwined her fingers with his.

"Miss Gilmore, very nice to meet you" Tristan said.  He sounded really funny when he was nervous.

"You too, Tristan, nice to finally meet you." Lorelai said as she looked at the bright expression Rory had on her face, so she added "Call me Lorelai"

"Ok! Nice to meet you Lorelai" he said as he squeezed Rory's hand a bit.

"Come in, come in.  Tristan you can leave your bags in. . . Where are your bags?" she asked confused looking at both of them.

"Oh! They are in the car. . . I'm going to go and get them" Tristan said, and he kissed Rory on the forehead and went to get both their bags.

"Verdict?" Rory asked Lorelai.

"Wow, he is gorgeous honey.  You never said that about him"

"Well, the fact that he tormented my existence blocked that fact from my head" Rory stated.

"Noted. . . but how can such beautifulness in one person can be blocked by that"

"Mom, where you here when I went to Chilton?"

"Right, Right. . . just had a lapsus of some kind.  I'm back!. . . He seems nice too"

"That he is, mom.  That he is" she said and you could almost see her eyes sparkle when she looked out of the door and into the driveway where Tristan was pulling out the bags from the trunk of the car.

"Nice car too.  Do you think he will let me drive it?"

"Maybe. . . not.  Mom don't ask him for his car, that is just mean. . . his bike is the coolest, though" she said as they both giggled.

"So, may I ask him?"

"Ask me what?" he said as he was standing on the first step of the porch.

"Nothing" Rory answered before Lorelai could.

"You can put the bags in Rory's room. . . Rory, why don't you show him"

And with this, Rory signaled him to follow her, and she led the way to her room.  When they reached it, Rory told him where to place them.  They were two small suitcases, the ones that you pull, just like the ones pilots use.  

"And this is my room" Rory stated as he left the suitcases and reached for her hand.  

"I can tell" he said as he pointed to all the books in the shelves.

"Oh, that's nothing. . ." and she showed him the piles of books under her bed, and the ones in the drawers "and I have a bunch of them in New Haven, that you already know about"

"So, should we go out there and face the music." He asked almost whispering, because he heard Lorelai walking in the kitchen.

"Are you ready for it?" she asked matching his tone of voice.

"Yeah, what would the excuse be? I want to have the chance to reassure Lorelai that she doesn't have to worry about you being with me"

"OK, time frame?"

"About 20 minutes"

"Feeling pretty sure about yourself"

"I have my case prepared."

"OK, then I'll say I am going to go and take a bath, because I am tired from the drive"

"Hey guys. . . coffee is ready" Lorelai said from the kitchen.

And they both walked out of the room and grabbed their respective cups.  Rory handed Tristan one, because he didn't know where they were.  They drank the coffee the same way: black, no sugar.

They started talking about stuff, Lorelai asked Tristan questions and the conversation was flowing well.  And then the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it" Rory said, as she got up from the table where they were sitting and went to the door, not expecting to see the person she was going to see at the other side of the door.

As she opened the door, she was surprised to see him standing there and all she could say was:

"Jess!" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Please read and take the time to review my story.  I've had very little reviews and it is a little disappointing.


	8. The Past Always Catches Up Part 2

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Gilmore Girls. . . the WB however does, so. . . now you know.  Glad to be of service.

_A/N: There will be an excerpt of the episode Kiss and Tell written by Mrs. Amy Sherman-Palladino and her group of talented writers.  It will be altered for the purpose of the story._

**Every Time There's a Concert**

_Chapter 8: The Past Always Catches up Part 2_

As she opened the door and said his name he looked up and gave her his trade half-crooked grin that she had been so familiar with so many years ago.  The man standing in front of her had been, once in her life, the boy who turned her world upside down, making her do unthinkable and very unlike-her things like skipping school and going to New York to see him because "he didn't say good bye" when he left the town right after the accident they had in her car.  He came back afterward, because of her and everything else that we already know.  But, like I said before, that had been many years ago and they broke up after dating a little over a year because of, yes, geography.  He was to far away and as much as they had tried to make it work, it turned out to be too much.  They couldn't take it, so they decided to break up.  One of them went on with her life; the other one, didn't.

They had kept in touch for a long time after they broke up, but then her calls and e-mails became less and less and as much as he tried, he wasn't going to do all the work himself.  

~*~ NYU a couple of months before ~*~

"You have mail" said the very familiar AOL voice telling him that he had mail in his inbox.  But none of them were from her.  He sighed after going into his inbox and not seeing her name in it.

"Nothing, huh?" Jess' friend Christopher asked.

"Yes, Chris a bunch of them. . . I sigh at the sight of so many" he retorted sarcastically.

"Hey man, don't take it out on me. . . you see that forward over there. . . that's my name, my name is on that list.  Hers isn't.  Who do you think you should be mad at?" He answered back with a tone of annoyance in his voice.

"Whatever!!" Jess answered, knowing that his friend was right.  It was her name that was lacking from the list and Chris didn't deserve what he had just gotten. . . although Jess was not going to give in to it.

It had been at least over a month since the last time he had heard from her.  Before her sudden disappearance, there wouldn't be a week that went by that he didn't receive a phone call or an e-mail, or maybe, if she was feeling archaic, she would write an actual letter and put it in the mail and everything.  But now she wasn't writing.  So he decided to call.

"Hey Janine" he said as soon as Janine picked up the phone.

"Jess, hi" she said plainly.  He wasn't her favorite guy in the world, because he had given up so easily on Rory and their relationship.  She figured that if he had loved her enough he would have tried harder.  She never exteriorized this opinion, but she knew she was right. . . at least a bit.

"Is she in?" he asked dryly.

"Nope, she went out with a friend to that library, the one with the manuscripts. . ."

"Oh, huh! Who did she go with?" he asked, curiosity getting the best of him, which was so not Jess-like.

"I believe that it's not my place to tell, but if you want to know you can call her later and ask her" Janine answered.  

"Great, you've been most helpful" he said sarcastically, "do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Don't tell her I called"

"Sure thing. . . Bye Jess!" and with this she hung up.  She never did like the guy, and it was obvious every time they spoke.  Rory had noticed it too, but knew that this was just her friend looking out for her.

That was the last time he had tried to contact her. . .

~*~ Present ~*~

. . . Until now.  He knew she was going to be in Stars Hollow, and he had to come over and see her.

"Hey. . . nice to know you are alive" he said very pissed off.  And then he started to walk away.

"Jess wait!!" she said as she closed the door behind her and went after him.

~*~ At the kitchen, same time ~*~

"So Tristan, tell me about you?" Lorelai asked as soon as she had the chance to be alone with the boy who had, very successfully, taken her daughters heart, as corny as it may sound.

"What would you like to know, Lorelai?" he asked.  Somehow he wasn't surprised that Lorelai would jump to the point straight away.  

"Oh, the basics, you know: how old are you, what do you do, have you killed anyone before, any siblings. . . look I don't like to waist time so I'll get right to the point: up 'til about a year ago, Rory was the only thing I had in my life, until Luke became a constant part in it.  I've worked hard to get her where she is, as she has worked hard to get where she is.  Don't screw around with her, she is a good girl, and she doesn't deserve any bad stuff to happen to her, she has put up with so much since she was so young, that I don't want her to suffer anymore.  Considering your history you can tell that concern is the first word that popped into mind when your name came up a couple of months ago"

"Well, um . . ."

"How about I talk and you listen? So, Tristan DuGrey, at the risk of sounding repetitive I'll tell you this: this is a very different kind of household you walked into today. Rory is a smart woman. She's never been much for guys, which you may know by now, so the fact that she likes you means a lot. I don't believe she'd waste her time with some loser.  . That girl in there is beloved around here. You hurt her, there's not a safe place within a hundred miles for you to hide.   Luke will make sure of that.  This is a very small, weird place you've come into"

"Lorelai," Tristan said looking Lorelai straight in the eyes "I can assure you that I won't hurt Rory no matter what, I couldn't even if I tried.  It has taken me years to be where I am and I am not planning on blowing it.  I am here for the long run.  I will protect your daughter from all harm, both physically and emotionally.  No one will ever hurt her, they would have to go through me before they had to get to her, and I would give my life for her well-being.  That, you can be sure of.  My love for her is as honest as they get.  About what I did before and how I behaved, like you said before, Rory wouldn't have wasted her time if she didn't think that I had a chance.  I have proven to her that I have changed, and I will prove it to you, if needed, too"

"You gave all the right answers right now; all you have to do at the moment is live up to the expectations that you have just built."

"Don't worry, I will."

"How about you go and get Rory; she has taken mighty long to get that door, don't you think?" Lorelai asked, not knowing who the visitor had been.

"Sure thing, I'll be right back", and he got up from the table and walked towards the door.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

While Tristan and Lorelai's Conversation was taking place, Rory and Jess where having an argument of their own outside.

"What Rory? Did you all of a sudden remember I existed? What gave it away?  The fact that I was standing in front of you right now?"

"I'm sorry, I know I've been MIA, but. . ."

"MIA? Rory I haven't heard from you in months; months Rory.  What happened? I know I asked you this once, but did I happen to miss all your phone calls or did the postman happen to misplace all those letters you wrote to me?"

"No, Jess. . . it's just that I have been caught up in some stuff and I haven't been able to keep in touch with everyone as much as I would like to."

At that moment Tristan was walking out of the house.

"Rory, what's wrong?" He asked before he could see that Rory had company, and judging by her face, it wasn't a pleasant visit "Hey man!" he said directing it to the guy standing in front of his girlfriend.

"Boyfriend?" Jess asked like he had done before when he met Dean.

"Jess this is my boyfriend Tristan DuGrey, Tristan this is Jess" she said as she introduced them both.

"Hey, nice to meet you" Tristan said, not actually meaning it because he knew who Jess was and the place he had once in Rory's life, but being polite nonetheless.

"Yeah, it always is nice to meet Rory's boyfriends" Jess answered, as cynical as Jess can be. "I should go. . . bye" and with that he left, leaving both Rory and Tristan standing there in the middle of the lawn.

"Nice guy that Jess" he said as they both watched him walk away.

"Yeah, nice" Rory said a little dazed.  "He was upset" she said trying to justify his behavior.

"One could hardly tell" Tristan answered, only half joking.

"He was mad that I didn't write in so long. . . but hey! You know what?"  She said, cheering up, and hugging Tristan by the waist.

"What?" he asked doing the same, smiling now.  He kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Why don't we go in and you can tell me how the conversation with my mom went, huh?"

"That sounds great, it is really cold out here" and they started walking into the house.

They had a nice dinner, they had ordered Chinese food, loads of it, and where watching TV the three of them.  Luke didn't come over that night because he knew that Lorelai and Rory would want some time together, with Rory's new boyfriend in town and everything, and he had Jess to deal with so he called and told Lorelai that he wasn't going to their house after he closed the diner and to enjoy Rory's company.  As much as she loved Luke, she was grateful at the thought.

Rory and Tristan put Lorelai up to date on anything and everything.  Telling her anecdotes and details about the re-encounter, about Janine and Drew, and everything else.

At one point Tristan went to the bathroom, and they talked about the Jess encounter, but had to cut the conversation short before Tristan's arrival.

When it was a little late, Lorelai decided that it was time to turn in and she left the love birds in the living room, designated room for their guest.

"I guess I should turn in too." Rory said as she tried to get up, but couldn't because she was pulled back by Tristan.

"Do I have to stay here. . . isn't there anyway we can negotiate new accommodations?" he said as he winked and eye to Rory to try and persuade her. . . but to no avail. 

"No sir. . . this is where you are staying.  There is no way Lorelai would be happy about any other sleeping arrangements.  Sorry!" she said, but not being sorry at all.

"Oh, man. . ."

"I can offer you a deal, though" Rory said, after all she did want to spend some more time with him.  "How about you scoot over a bit, and I can stay here a little longer. .  But I will go back to my room in a while, how about that?"

"Is that the best offer I get?" Tristan asked as if pondering other options.

"Yes"

"Well Ok. . ." and so they did, they turned on the TV and Rory laid next to Tristan for a little over and hour, until she couldn't stand her own sleepiness and went to bed.

When she got up she saw Tristan was sound asleep.  So she covered him with a blanket, kissed him on his forehead and left to her room.

~*~ After Jess left ~*~

Jess walked away from the house and in direction to the diner.  When he finally reached it he looked for Luke.

"Hey Cesar, where's Luke?" he asked in a very demanding tone.

"Upstairs, Jess" he answered without even looking at him, because he was busy in the kitchen.

Jess went up the stairs and entered the apartment.

"Luke?" he screamed as he opened the door.

"Jess, I am right here.  It's a small apartment, you don't have to yell" Luke answered back.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what Jess?" 

"That Rory has a boyfriend"

"Oh, that."

"Yeah, that.  Why didn't you tell me?"

"Rory has the right to go out with who ever she wants.  She went out with you, didn't she? I guess that proves it"

"You should have told me, you knew."

"Of course I knew.  I knew from the very beginning"

"Then why didn't' you tell me.  You knew I was coming here for her."

"Oh, and here I was, thinking that you came here to see me"

"Don't try to be funny Luke"

"I am not trying to be funny.  Look Jess, I don't have to do anything.  Not that it was a secret, but what happens in Lorelai's family and she trust in me, stays that way.  I don't have to tell you, or anyone else, anything that I don't want to.  It has always been that way.  Besides, why do you care?"

"I care" he answered back.

"Yeah, I can tell.  Why?"

"Because it's Rory Luke, That's why I care"

"Why?"

"I always have" he answered a little annoyed.

"Yeah, but why do you care this time?"

"Because I am not over her, OK!! Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"No.  That I already knew.  Look Jess, you had your chance with her.  You were too lazy to try and keep her. 'Oh it's so hard' 'We don't have time' all those dumb excuses are that, dumb excuses.  If you had cared, if you had loved her as much as you say you did, and obviously still do, you would have tried harder.  It's too late now"

"I'm living" he said as he turned around.

"Isn't that always the way for dealing with stuff" he said as Jess was walking out the door.  "That poor kid, he is in for a rough ride" he said to himself and went back to what he was doing.

~*~ The Next Morning ~*~

Rory and Lorelai where whispering in the kitchen so they wouldn't wake Tristan up before time.  They got up a little earlier, which was very unlike them, so they could talk and not be interrupted.

"So how do you think things are going to be with Jess now?" Lorelai asked, not because she was concerned about Jess, but about Rory.  Even after so many years, Jess still rubbed her the wrong way.

"Very weird.  That much I know, anything else I am not able to tell" Rory answered a little puzzled, but knowing that the answer was the right one.

"But weird why? I mean I know why, but you guys broke up so long ago, it didn't work, deal with it, right?" Lorelai said a little pissed off, but still whispering.

"I am surprised that Jess is acting this way.  You know how he is, he usually cares so little about everything"

"Yeah, but in all fairness, he never cared little about you, he cared a lot. . . so much that he came back to the small town life, that he hated so much, just to be with you"

"Are you defending him, Lorelai Gilmore?" Rory asked a little amazed.

"I said in all fairness.  And he did care about you, and apparently he still does"

"Yeah, but how."

"Honey, that, you can only find out by asking him. . . I don't have the answer to that one"

"Yeah, but I don't think I'll ask him. . . he was a real jerk to Tristan also, after Tristan was polite to him, not nice but polite"

"Well, Jess never did hide his feelings much.  That wasn't his strong suit, you know what I mean?"

"I guess I'll just let it go"

"You have never been able to do that before"

"Right, I'll think about it later then."

 "You have never been able to do that before, either"

"Right, well I can try. . . I'll go and wake Tristan up."  And as she said that she got up, and grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee.

"That a girl, now go and wake that boyfriend of yours. .  I'll prepare the pop-tarts"

"Oh, a true cooking mom" Rory said mockingly.

"Go."

"I'm going" and as she said that she stepped out of the kitchen and walked towards the living room where Tristan was caught in a deep slumber.

She got the coffee and placed it close to Tristan's nose and she let the smell travel.  She got the result that she wanted.  He opened his eyes.

"Hey, sunshine" she said in the most sweet voice possible, almost inaudible.  

"Mmmm, I like waking up like this.  One can get used to such luxuries."  He said, and as he said he smiled and grabbed the cup of coffee from Rory's hand.

"You were born in luxury, honey" she said.

"I would trade all of that in a blink, just to be awakened like this for the rest of my life" he said looking at her straight in the eye.  She saw the sincerity in his eyes as he said it.  And he drank a sip of his coffee, still holding the eye contact.

"Would you settle for a couple of days first?"

"Sure"

"Good morning" she said as she kissed him.

"Good morning" 

"Mom's in the kitchen working on the pop-tarts"

"OK, I'll go wash up first."  He said.

"Sure" and they got off from the couch.  Tristan went into the bathroom and Rory, to the kitchen.

"His coming" she said to Lorelai who was already eating her pop-tart.

"OK. . . so what is the plan for tonight?"

"We eat light all day, 'til dinner, that way we can enjoy all the festivities' food."

"Of course."

"So where were we invited to?"

"Sookie's and Luke's"

"Good.  How about grandma and grandpa"

"Well, grandpa had to go out of the country and he decided to take my mom with him.  They were going to Europe, somewhere in Germany I think"

"Oh, that's too bad."

"Yeah" Lorelai answered, smiling.

"Sure, I believed that.  You even look relieved that they were gone"

"Yeah" Lorelai said, honestly now.

"Good morning, Lorelai" said Tristan as he walked into the kitchen.

"Good Morning Bible Boy" Lorelai answered back.

"Bible boy?. . .  Oh, I get it, because of the whole Mary thing. . . very clever!" he stated.

"Yeah, we thought so too."  Lorelai answered and Rory nodded in approval.

"Pop-Tart?" Rory asked as she handed him a plate with two strawberry pop-tarts in it.

"Don't mind if I do. . . thanks"

"Don't eat too much, we are going to Luke's in a while", Lorelai said.

"Sure thing. . ."

"I guess that while you are here, I'll go and take a bath and get ready to leave and then you guys can do the same" Rory said as she was walking into her room.

"So it is the two of us again, huh?" Tristan said to Lorelai.

"I guess so" Lorelai answered back.

"So, may I ask what the plans for today are?" Tristan asked as he poured more coffee into his cup.

"Sure, we are going over to Sookie's first. . ."

"Sookie is. .  the chef at the Inn right?"

"Not only that, but my best friend also"

"And then?"

"Over to Luke's"

"Sounds great.  Dress code?"

"Dress casual, and comfortably because you will eat like in the majors."

"Rory told me that Sookie always cooks for like a thousand"

"Well, she enjoys what she does."

"Apparently so."

"Tristan, may I ask you something?"

"Sure" he said as he drank his coffee.

"What about your parents?"

"What about them?"

"Well, it is a holiday, and not that I don't enjoy having you here because I do, but why didn't you want to spend the holidays with them?"

"You know, as well as I do, that when your parents are part of society, a lot of social engagements come their way, right? And my dad travels a lot, and so does my mom, but they don't do it together.  So they each went on their way for the holidays.  Besides, I had a better offer coming here, than anything I would have with my parents, if they were here"

"Does it pain you that you are not with them?"

"Nope.  Lorelai, you, in the few hours I've known you, have given me so much more warmth than anyone ever did in my house.  Besides I got used to it.  And after they sent me off to military school things changed even more.  So I guess my answer will be: no, it doesn't pain me that I'm not with them."

"Those are some strong words"

"Yeah, they are, but that's how they are.  But there is something good that I got from everything that I just told you.  They taught me something that will help me forever"

"And what is that?" Lorelai asked curiously.

"To not be like them.  When I have my own family, those are the things that I will try as hard as I can to avoid."

"That's good.  You will make your family very happy one day."

"I hope so, Lorelai, I really do."

After he finished saying this Rory walked out of her room bathed and ready to leave.  She always got ready really fast.

"Go get ready guys, I am starving"

And both Lorelai and Tristan got up from the table and went each way to the bathroom.

They were ready and leaving the house 45 minutes later.  They walked down the street, the three of them.  Both Gilmore Girls showed Tristan the town, or at least where they were walking by.  They showed him the store that sold all those cat things.  The town flower shop. The good pizza place. The stationary store and Al's Pancake world.  Doose's Market.  The gazebo.  Miss Patty's studio.

"This is where we rehearsed that time, right?" Tristan asked, and Rory remembered that he had been in town once, right before he left for military school.  As they where walking by, Miss Patty stepped out of the studio and into the stairs.

"Hey Patty" Lorelai said when they saw her standing there.

"Hello girls.  And you are that handsome boy who has been the talk of the town since yesterday, huh?"

"Tristan DuGrey, Ma'm.  Nice to meet you."

"Babette was wrong.  You are not just cute.  You are a fox!!" Miss Patty said after he introduced himself.

"Babette?" he asked into Rory's ear.

"Our neighbor, the one with the pink house" Rory answered in the same way.

"Oh, right"

"Nice seeing you Patty, we are going off to breakfast" Lorelai  said trying to cut the conversation short.

"Bye girls.  Tristan I hope I see you soon, I could teach you some steps, or anything you want to."

"Thanks Miss Patty, I'll keep that in mind"

"You do that."

"Wow, she is a piece of work" he said a little embarrassed because of what Miss Patty had said.

 "She has been married several times.  How do you think she managed that?" Rory asked rhetorically.

They kept walking until they reached the diner.  Many customers where in it, but not enough to fill the place up.  Obviously the morning rush had passed.

"Hey Luke" Rory said when she saw Luke standing there filling some clients cup of coffee, really glad to see him.

"Rory, hi" he said as he looked in her direction.  He directed a grin at her, since he couldn't leave the cup just half full.

After he filled the cups of coffee around him, he finally reached the table where the girls and Tristan where.  Luke kissed Lorelai good morning, and followed to hug Rory hello.

"And you must be Tristan?" he said as he extended his hand to greet him.

"Yes, and you must be Luke.  It's nice to meet you" he said shaking Luke's hand.

"Luke, come on. . . I've been dying for a decent cup of coffee since the last time I was here . . . I already told you" she said "New Haven coffee is not Luke's coffee" Luke and Rory said in unison.

"I'll be a witness to that" Lorelai said, because she always complained that the coffee in New Haven wasn't that good.

"Yeah, me too" Tristan stated  "she is always complaining about the coffee in New Haven and how it doesn't match up to yours"

"You have been around these girls for too long, apparently" Luke said.

"What can I say.  They influence you" Tristan said.  And so, both guys found a ground from where they would take it.  They, both, were being influenced by a Gilmore Girl.

"What would you like for breakfast?" Luke finally asked.

"Coffee and Pancakes" Lorelai answered.

"Coffee and French Toast" Rory said.

"Coffee and a ham omelette, please" Tristan said.

"Coming right up"

"Did Luke actually bond with Tristan?" Rory asked Lorelai in mocking shock.

"I guess he just did. .  Monosyllabic man is gone" Lorelai answered in the same tone.

"Funny.  He is a nice man."  Tristan stated.

As they where talking and eating, Jess came down from the apartment. When he saw they were there, he went back upstairs so he could avoid them.  At least until tonight.

After breakfast, they walked around the town a bit more, and then went home to change.  After that, they went over to Sookie's.

~*~  ~*~  ~*~   ~*~   ~*~

So this is the chapter.  The occurrences over the weekend will be the next chapter, because if I kept it on this one, it would turn our really long.  I believe it will be up by the weekend, maybe Saturday afternoon, if not, Sunday morning.  I know that this chapter lacked substance, but I needed to put it in for the Weekend Chapter.  Please read and review.  I will like to thank everyone for posting reviews.  You guys keep me going!!!  See you over the weekend and hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

One more thing: Jess' presence will not change the line of the story, but if everything turns out how I want it, he will spice it up a bit.  Great things are coming your way.  Just tell me something: do you think that he's in character? Please answer in your reviews.


	9. Thanksgiving Weekend

Disclaimer: Don't own them.

**Every Time There's a Concert**

Chapter 9: Thanksgiving Weekend.

They finally reached Sookie's house, and there Tristan would be introduced to most of the people in town.  Since most of the town was invited to the same parties they would start in one place, and then followed to the next.  Considering this, both Sookie and Luke, agreed on the time when they would invite people over, so that no one would feel compromised that they could only attend one celebration.

When they came in to Sookie's house, the three of them went directly to Sookie's kitchen, where she was still working on the food.  As usual Sookie changed, at the last minute, the menu for today so she was still working on some hors d'ouvres.  

"Hey Sookie", Lorelai said as she came in "What happened here?" she said as she saw the old hors d'ouvres and the new ones, that where being prepared.

"Hey honey! Well as I was getting ready, I was thinking of the food that I was offering, and then it hit me.  I cannot serve this" she said as she pointed to the old hors d'ouvres "with this" she said as she pointed to a beautifully decorated turkey "so I decided to change it."

"Oh, OK! So, do you need any help?"

"No it's OK!!  Rory, honey!!!!! I'm sorry, hi!"

"Hey Sookie" Rory said really glad to see her.  She missed many things in Stars Hollow and one of them was Sookie and her cooking.

"And you must be Tristan?"

"Yes, hi.", he was fairly nervous because of all the introductions, so he tried to shake her hand, but she put them up as if saying 'I'm dirty' "Oh, Sorry!!"

"No, its OK.  Wow, Babette was really off this time" Sookie stated.

"Miss Patty pointed it out too."  Lorelai said.

"Oh, well she is here, and if you can run kid. . . this will be the time to remember how."  Sookie said, and Tristan chuckled at the comment.  "Hey why don't you go outside, everyone's there"

"Are you sure?" Rory asked, a little concerned as Sookie dropped a plate on the floor.

"Yeah, I'll be out in a minute.  Go."

And they went outside.  Everything was prepared and nicely decorated with a red, orange, yellow and brown motif, which Lorelai had helped to pick out and decorate.  Considering also, that the weather would be cold by now, they placed this little fire lamps, kind of Hawaiian style, around so some heat would be emanated by them.

They found a table to sit in.  Not long after sitting there, Jackson approached them.

"Hey girls, how are you?" he asked.  "Hey there Tristan, I'm Jackson Melville.  Sookie's husband"

"Oh, yeah. . . um, hi!" Tristan said as he got up to shake his hand.

"Miss Patty was a little off this time" Jackson said, and then he called Andrew, the guy that ran the bookstore and with whom Jackson always made comparisons to who do people look like "Hey Andrew, come here" Andrew came closer to where they were "What do you think, Brad Pitt?"

"They are trying to figure out who you look like" Rory whispered in Tristan's ear.

"I figured" Tristan answered back.

"Yeah, Brad Pitt. . . early stages, you know. . . Cool World most likely"

"Yeah, I'm with you on that one" Taylor Doose stated as he came closer to where they were, and then he introduced himself "Taylor Doose, grocer to Stars Hollow, you must be the boyfriend?"

"Yes sir, I am.  Tristan . . ." but he got cut off by Taylor.

"DuGrey. . . yes son, we know that by now.  You have a pretty nice car, don't you?"

"I consider it so" Tristan answered a little uncomfortable.

"Well Stars Hollow is a safe town, don't go driving around speeding and everything.  We don't like that here" Taylor said.

"Oh, um, no, I was not planning on speeding, sir.  Don't worry."  Tristan answered back.

"Let it go Taylor. . . it's not that the town doesn't like it, it's because you don't like it" said Luke, who was coming in just in time to listen to the comment.

"Listen Lucas, the Stars Hollow Department of Safe Driving, states that no speeding is allowed in the areas, and sets speed limits for each of the areas surrounding the town.  I am just doing my townly duty." Taylor answered.

"The SHDSD is just another organization which you preside, and gives everyone a head-ache"

"Yes, but has anyone had any accidents since the SHDSD was established?" He asked rhetorically "No.  So, the defense rests."

"You're impossible" Luke stated.

"As you" Taylor answered back, and walked away.

After this, everyone was around listening to the verbal quarrel.  After it was over, Kirk approached Tristan.

"So, Tristan.  I was just wondering if I could ask you a question, handsome man to handsome man?"

"Sure" Tristan said as he stifled a laugh.

"How do you get your hair to do that thing?  You see my hair is kinda like yours, but somehow I just can't seem to get it that way" he asked referring to the way that Tristan hair fell (he had long hair, like on CSI).

"Well. . ." he started, but stopped because he didn't know his name.

"Kirk" 

"Kirk, I grew it out.  If I hadn't, my hair wouldn't do the thing you are referring too" Tristan said.

"Right. . . are you advising me to let my hair grow out?"

"Sure, if you would like your hair to do the thing"

"Can't do.  My mom won't let me. . . thanks anyway" and with that Kirk walked away from the table.

"Odd feller that Kirk, huh?" Tristan stated.

"Yeah, he is. . . did you know he had the hots for my mom?" Rory said teasing Lorelai.

"Really Lorelai?"

"Well. . ." Lorelai started but was cut off by Rory.

"Yeah, he asked her out and everything. . ." Rory continued.

"Did you go?" Tristan asked Lorelai.

"No. . . you see, I had a cold that time, and he asked me out two weeks in advance. . ."

"He didn't want to get sick" Rory finished.

"Did you postponed?" Tristan asked.

"No."

"Re-scheduled for better timing"

"Did you see him when he was talking to you? The guy is odd, we love him around here, but he is very odd.  Nonetheless, I didn't want to hurt him so I told him the truth"

"Oh!!" he said, but was the only thing he could say before he started cracking up.

"Glad my story amuses you!!" Lorelai said, faking she was hurt.

"No, sorry. . . It's just that, do you know probably how long that poor guy thought about asking you out, and you rejected him"

"I am a horrible person" Lorelai stated, staring back at Kirk, who was standing with the other guys.

"No you are not!!"  Rory stated, smiling at what she had caused.

"Yes I am.  You're boyfriend is right. . . do you think I should go out with him just once"

"Mom you can't" 

"Yeah, Lorelai you can't. . . besides you are dating Luke, remember"

"Yeah, but he is a very understanding man. . . don't let that gruff exterior fool you"

"It hasn't but, I don't think a man like that" he pointed at Luke "would like his girlfriend to go out with a  guy like that" he pointed at Kirk.  

"Besides, that was so long ago. . . he probably doesn't even remember he asked you out"  Rory answered.

"Are you new around here? Kirk is still charging me those 50 cents that we owe him for not rewinding Willie Wonka once"

"You're right. . . he probably has a dart board with your picture on it and throws darts to it every night before going to bed"

"Thanks kiddo, you are always my rock. . . glad you're back!" she stated sarcastically.

At that moment, Sookie came out with the hors d'ouvres and placed them on the picnic tables.

The rest of the dinner at Sookie's was uneventful.  But Luke's. . . that's another story.

~*~ Luke's Diner. . . Same day ~*~

Luke left a little earlier than most of them so he could go to the diner and fix everything up for their guests.  Lorelai joined him.  She wasn't going to let him "fix" everything up by himself, because she knew that when they got there their guests would find everything the way they usually did: with the tables and the chairs.

So Lorelai, being the proactive person that she was took as her job to secretly buy decorations, similar to the ones over at Sookies but a little less "festive" so Luke wouldn't get to mad, just mad enough so she could persuade him afterward to forgive her without to much work on her part.  When he went in to the kitchen to get the stuff Ceasar had left prepared earlier, Lorelai placed the decorations as fast as she could.  When he came back into the "dining room" he didn't have time to complain because everyone was starting to show up.

"Hey guys, come in" Lorelai greeted everyone at the door, looking over at Luke who mouthed 'I'll get you' but she knew he wasn't serious because she saw a glimpse of a smile forming when he turned. . . but then again maybe it was gas, who knew.

Taylor was having so much fun, and that killed Luke.  Taylos was happy because of the decorations, and even if he knew that Luke hadn't placed them himself, he was still counting that as a victory.  

"I am getting rid of them as soon as everyone leaves Taylor, don't get any ideas" Luke said as he walked close to Taylor.

"I am not getting any ideas" Taylor stated smiling. 

"Oh, jeez.  Lorelai look what you did" Luke said as he walked over to Lorelai "Now Taylor will bug me for Christmas decorations for the weeks to come, and it is all your fault"

"I promise, that I will make up for every single decoration that I have placed in this diner" she said as she kissed his lips lightly.

"Oh, you are in deep trouble missy!" he said softly.

"Say it like you mean it soldier!" She said as he walked away.

At that same time, when everyone was coming in Jess heard the noise.  He hadn't bothered to ask Luke what was he going to do for Thanksgiving day, so he went downstairs. . . as far as he knew the diner was closed and, although, he wasn't the type that would worry about that kind of stuff, he went to check what was everyone doing there.

When he came down the stairs, he saw half the town in the diner and then he spotted Luke, so he approached him.

"What's all this about?" Jess asked.

"Well it is Thanksgiving, so I guess all this is about Thanksgiving dinner"

"Never pictured you throwing one of these again. . . but I was talking about the decorations.  I never pictured you as the Martha Stewart fan"

"I'm not. . . Lorelais' doing!!" Luke grunted as a statement.

"Huh! Figures"

"Hey you know what? Why don't you join us?"

"That is so nice" Jess stated sarcastically "but I don't think so, I'm going back upstairs to the apartment and finish. . ." 

As he was saying that, Rory and Tristan walked into the diner.

"You know what? I changed my mind.  Maybe I'll stay a while" Jess finished, as if at first he had accepted the offer.

"Please don't cause any trouble Jess, she is happy. . . let it go"

"I am just going to sit to dinner, just like everyone else in here. . . no harm in that, is there?" Jess said.

"I guess not. . ." Luke said as he walked away from his nephew.

"Luke what is he doing here?" Lorelai asked when she saw Jess sit across from Kirk, but he had a good line of view towards Rory and Tristan.

"He is my nephew Lorelai, you didn't think that I wouldn't let him stay for dinner, now did you?"

"What about Rory?"

"What about her? She is with Tristan, Lorelai. . . and like it or not this is his house, or at least upstairs is his house, and I am not going to kick him out. . ."

"But. . ." Lorelai tried to cut in but he didn't let her.

"We had already talked about it.  If it didn't work out between them, that is none of our business and we cannot ask the other one not to bring either of them."

"Yeah but. . ."

"End of discussion, Lorelai" And Lorelai stayed quiet.  She knew he was right.  The problems between her daughter and Jess where that, the problems between Rory and Jess.  But she was a mother, she couldn't help to butt in.  It was instinctive.

"Hey. . ." Lorelai started "you're right, I'm sorry" she said and kissed him on the nose.

"That's OK" he said and he continued on his work setting everything else up for the people to eat.

Tristan and Rory sat there talking and laughing, not really paying attention to Jess.  Apparently they hadn't even noticed he was there.  But he had noticed them.

Somehow Jess thought that he was over Rory.  But apparently that was while they where both single.  He thought that maybe if they where both alone it was a sign that they might get back together someday.  But when he found out that she was dating someone else, it had hit him like a bucket of ice cold water on the back.  He felt many things he couldn't understand.  And then he figured that he had never stopped being in love with her. . . and apparently she had forgotten him.  He wasn't ready to deal with that.  Not yet, at least.

Lorelai and Luke where more tense over Jess' presence at the dinner that Rory and Tristan where.  They hardly enjoyed it because of that.  They worried that at some point Jess would jump out of the table and rip Tristan's head off or something similar, judging by the looks he was throwing Tristan's way.  Little did they know that Tristan had seen Jess, but was trying to act as calm as possible for Rory's sake, because he knew it would torment her.  But he was as aware of his presence, as Jess was of Tristans'.

After a while, Jess got bored at the sight of them.  'Early stages of the relationship. . . they disgust me!!' and he left the dinner without saying a word.

The dinner was over soon after that, and everyone went on their way home.

~*~ Next Morning ~*~

"OH MYYY GOOOOODDD!" was the first thing that was heard that morning in the Gilmore household.

Since Tristan was sleeping in the living room he got up as fast as he could and went to see why had happened to Lorelai.  When he reached the kitchen he found Lorelai looking frantically for something.

"Lorelai, what happened?" he asked and he started to open the doors of the kitchen cabinets imitating Lorelai's actions "what are we looking for?"

"We are OUT OF COFFEE!!! How is that even possible. . . in this house.  No coffee!!!"

"Calm down Lorelai, Calm down. . . I'll make you a deal, I can walk over to Luke's and get coffee from there.  Enough to hold you 'til you go to the market.  Just give me five minutes to change."

"OK, you got a deal. . . but you have two minutes to change. . . and don't walk, take the car, it's faster"

"Sure, on my way! Stay calm!!" he said.  He went into the bathroom, put on the jeans he was wearing yesterday before dinner, and grabbed his coat, and the car keys.  But the he came back into the kitchen "Tell Rory, that coffee is coming. . . if she wakes up"

"Don't waste time, go, go!!!"

And so he did.  Little did he know the surprise that was waiting for him at that moment.

When he came into the diner, over at the counter was no other that Jess.  Not that he would try to avoid him, but he thought that the Gilmore Girls where in the middle of a nervous break down because of their lack of caffeine in their bodies, and this was not the time for what he knew was coming.

"If it isn't the Prodigious Boyfriend" Jess said as he saw Tristan walk into the diner.

"Morning. . . six cups of coffee please" Tristan said, trying to ignore his comment.

"Coming right up sir" he answered sarcastically "out off coffee in the Gilmore house, huh? Well you're new; you'll get the hang of it in time"

"Hey man, I been meaning to ask you what your problem is" Tristan asked getting a little tired of Jess' rudeness.

"My problem. . . why would you ask such a thing.  I am just stating that once you are in the Gilmore household, you learn that you have to check their coffee supply so something like this won't happen" Jess answered, his mean streak back.

"That is so nice of you to tell me, but I am referring to your attitude.  Let it go, man.  It's over."  Tristan said referring to Jess and Rory's relationship.

"Oh, you really don't want to go there" Jess said, very upset now.

"Really? And, why is that? Because it still hurts?"

"Look, you have no idea what Rory means to me"

"For someone who will go out of his way to try and prove that I don't belong somewhere, I can get a pretty good idea."

"You will never know that"

"Really? And how do you figure?"

"You wouldn't begin to understand" Jess said, really pissed off now at Tristan's pushing on the matter.

"Trust me, if someone knows how much it hurts to loose Rory Gilmore, that's me."

"You never had her.  You cannot loose someone you never had" Jess stated.

"Which only made it hurt even more. . . but you, YOU HAD HER, and then you let her go.  Because that is what you did."

"And how do you know that?"

"She told me.  I mean, how dumb can a person actually be, to let someone like her go so easily, huh Jess? How where you able to do that? That is beyond my understanding."

"Well I don't expect you to understand."

"Oh, and you said she still mattered to you.  You don't put someone who still matters to you on the spot, like you did with her.  She considered you her friend and you acted that way.  You know she cannot handle dishonesty, and you weren't honest with her.  Can you blame her for letting you go, can you blame her because she stopped calling and writing.  You where lazy with your relationship once, she figures it is now her turn."

"Really, and what makes you such and expert on Rory Gilmore, huh DuGrey? I mean you have only been dating for what? Ten Minutes?"

"You never knew her did you? Because if you did you would know that she lets you in.  She talks Jess, all you have to do is listen and the great mystery that is Rory Gilmore is revealed.  Look, don't blame me for your stupidity.  Just know one thing.  I am not going to let her go, not for you and not for anyone." And with that, he got the coffee cups and left.

Jess just stood there.  He knew Tristan was right about all the things he had said.  He wasn't the only one who thought that way.  Luke had said almost the same thing to him, but in different words.  He had let her go, and as sorry as he was, he still loved her too much to put her through something bad, so he decided that before he left back to NYU he would drop by and apologize, and be out of everyone's was.  Especially hers.

Tristan drove back to the house, where both girls where waiting for him sitting on the porch steps, in their pajamas and coats.  After he parked the car and opened the door they both ran towards him and grabbed two cups each, the way he had intended it.

"Did you have to go and cut the coffee beans yourself?" Rory asked.

"Nope."

"Was Juan Valdez late for his deliveries today?" Lorelai asked.

"Nope" he answered again.

"Was the coffee not ready?" Rory asked.

"It was ready" he replied.

"Then why did it take you so long?"

"Did you get lost?"

"Would you girls like to hear my answer, or would you like to imagine it yourselves?"

"Answer away" Rory said.

"Jess was at the counter" he started to explain.

"Oh, enough said! You are excused" Lorelai said and she started to walk away and into the house.

Tristan and Rory followed, but they sat down on the porch steps, as the girls had been when he arrived, and started talking.

"Did he say something to you?" Rory asked, really concerned.

"Well he started too, but then I cut him off"

"Was he mean?"

"Rory, I am not made of glass, I won't break under a little pressure."

"Sorry" she said a little embarrassed.

"It's OK, he was kind of feeling territorial I guess. . . he started to say something that I should do while I am at your house, giving himself some advantage over me because he knew that stuff and I didn't. . . in the end it was alright."

"Great.  Do you want to go inside?" She asked, she was on her second cup of coffee at the moment.  And so was he.

"Sure. . ." he said and he got up and held out his hand to help her up too.

"So, what else did you tell him?" Rory asked curiously.

"Mostly guy stuff. . ." he started and got cut off.

"That is such a lame excuse 'guy stuff', an specific question deserves an specific answer" she stated.

"Letting our feministic side out, so early in the morning?"

"Well it is after all a lame excuse"

"It is such a double standard"

"And why is that?" she asked defensively.

"It is the same kind of answer as 'girl stuff'"

"Yeah, but that is different"

"And how is that?"

"You don't want to listen about bloating and periods and, and, and. . ." 

"Very well phrased Vanna"

"Stop it!!"

"Well then, give me a good answer"

"Well. . . well"

"You see.  There is no answer to that one, so I stick with my prior statement 'guy stuff'. . ."

"Should I worry about it, you know? Be prepared to send for a search party. . . for either of you, if you turn out missing?"

"No, I don't think that would be necessary" he said and he hugged her and kissed her forehead.  And all of a sudden she had forgotten what had just happened.

They went into the house, and started watching TV, and then they got ready to go out for breakfast over at Luke's and walk in to Doose's to get the coffee.

~*~ That Afternoon ~*~

The whole day had been uneventful.  But around four o'clock, when they where watching re-runs of the Flinstones, cause they had been Tristan's favorites as a Kid and Lorelai and Rory wouldn't let him stop doing impressions of the characters, someone knocked on the door, and Rory got off from the couch to see who it was.

When she opened the door, she was as surprised to find him standing there, just like the first day she had arrived to Stars Hollow.

"Jess?!" she said with a questioning look and tone of voice.

"Hey Rory, do you think you and Tristan can give me a minute?" Jess asked, amazingly polite.

"Sure, give me a second.  I'll go and get Tristan" and she walked into the house and said "Tristan, can you come here for a minute, there is someone here to see us"

"Sure" and he got off from his 'bed' and went to where Rory was.

"It's Jess!" She whispered very surprised.

Tristan went to the door, and looked at Jess.

"Hey man!, got a minute?"

"Yeah" and he reached for Rory's hand and grabbed their coats, handing hers to Rory and closing the door behind them.

"Look guys, all cynicism aside.  I would like to apologize to you for the way I behaved.  I was a real jerk, mean at times, but I didn't mean any harm.  I was just jealous, but I got some sense kicked into me and, Rory" he said directing his eyes at her blue ones "I figured that if I didn't get to make you happy for as long as I could have, you might as well have someone who really loves you. . . the way this guy does" he finished as he signaled for Tristan.  Rory squeezed Tristan's hand at the comment. "Tristan, take good care of her, or I will join the town and look for you if you hurt her, and considering my history you will know that I do not participate in town's shindigs" he said actually smiling "Take care guys, see you around" 

"You too, Jess" they both said in unison.

For Jess it was one of the hardest things he could do, to let go of the girl that he had loved for so long.  But they had been right, he had been too lazy to work on her relationship.  He didn't expect her to wait around for him.  And she didn't.  But she was happy, and that's all that mattered.  Apparently that was the way the Gilmore's ex-boyfriends always felt afterwards.

Sunday came, and Tristan and Rory packed everything, said their good-byes and went on their way, back to their New Haven life.

"Did you enjoy the weekend?" Rory asked Tristan as they where driving back.

"I would have to say, that it was interesting. . . and I enjoyed everything about it."

"Great"

"Thanks for inviting me" he said and kissed her lightly.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

A/N: I know this chapter was extremely disappointing.  I have a cold or my allergies are acting up, great timing by the way because I just finished my college education on Thursday, so now I can afford to get sick and not over finals.  I will re-read this chapter when I am feeling better, and hopefully maybe offer you a better version of this one, or something better on the next one.  I am having a lot of problem writing so if you want to give me a boost, please review my story, even if you already reviewed it.  You don't know how much it means to me when you review.  Thanks

Mary


	10. The Holidays are Over

**Disclaimer: As much as it pains me, I don't own Gilmore Girls. . . in previous chapters I have mentioned what I would do if I owned it.**

**A/N: Finally A New Chapter!! I would like to apologize for taking so long to write this chapter, but I had a Major Writers Block, and this chapter (hopefully) would help me get out of it, so excuse me if it sucks, but I have many ideas for the next couples of chapters.  And I would also like to announce that there WILL be a change of rating because of a chapter that I am going to include, so please make a note about it.  I would like to take this space, also, to thank all the anon reviewers that have taken the time and. . . review.  And I would like to thank CaffineLFNDGG (I love your story. . . Following the orders of the Stars, highly recommended), Trory4Ever (Thanks for everything), Crazie 4 Trory (Thanks for reviewing) firegoddess1014 (Thanks for your time) coffeechick87 (Thanks for the reviews to all my chapters), gohuskers8604 (Hope you are still enjoying), RoryLeighDugrey (If it hadn't been for you I would have half as many reviews) and klm111a, kiwiflea, Tiz nd Az and Flossie (My very first reviewer!!) To all of you guys, thanks for taking the time, not only to read my story, but to review it also, you are the ones that keep me going!!!  Muchas Gracias.**

**Every Time There's a Concert**

Chapter 10: The Holidays are Over

A loud thud was heard in Rory's and Janine's apartment.  Rory, Janine, Tristan and Drew had just come in from celebrating the holidays in Stars Hollow.  Lorelai had extended and invitation to the four of them and everyone went gladly, because of many things:

Janine and Drew went because they wanted to experience both Lorelai and Stars Hollow first hand, thanks to all the boosting they had received from Tristan and the experiences that he went thru on the first visit on Thanksgiving brake.

Tristan went because of. . . yeah! You guessed correctly: Rory. . . And the other reason for all three of the guests was that holidays where meant for celebrating and rejoicing, and that's what they wanted to do, so the invitation was accepted in a moments notice, Rory didn't even had to ask twice.

Tristan's parents spent the holidays somewhere in Europe, he didn't know where, but he did notify that he was going to spent the holidays with Rory so both his parents where assured that he would have a nice time.  Drew's parents weren't big on holidays celebrations, so Drew just told them what his plans where and they agreed.  And Janine's mom, which was a much toned down version of Lorelai, spent Christmas in Stars Hollow with all of them and then left to spend New Year's somewhere else.

The holidays had been uneventful, no unexpected visits, no altercations, no rudeness.  Everything had been just as promised by Rory and the town of Stars Hollow.  Taylor had organized the classic "Christmas Carol" play and after that they had a Holiday Extravaganzza in the town center square.  

"I am amazingly tired!!" Rory exclaimed as she stepped into the apartment.

"Funny, 'cause I would of thought you where well rested since you slept all the way from Stars Hollow to New Haven" Tristan said right behind her.

"Well, have you ever slept through your driving?" Rory asked Tristan.

"Nope. . . being alive is one proof that I have not slept through my driving" he answered back.

"And, do you happen to know why that is?" Rory asked again with one hand on her hip and the other taping her chin.

"Please, enlighten me, Miss Gilmore" Tristan said enjoying every minute.

"Because it is impossible to sleep through your driving!!" she answered lifting her hand in the air.

"Oh! Impossible, you say?"

"Yes sir. . . IM – PO – SSI – BLE" Rory answered, expecting what was coming.

"Well, then that's a good thing"

"Really, care to elaborate on that"

"Sure. . . If I weren't a reckless driver then. . ." he said as he was nearing her.

"Yeah!" she said as she kept a straight look.  But as she felt him closer she put her arms around his neck.

"You wouldn't have the pleasure of having me here with you. . . so I guess that it has kept me alive" he said in a very deep, husky, voice as he encircled her waist with his arms.

"The defense rests" she said as he placed his lips on hers and kissed her with more passion that he had ever before.  And this was Tristan Dugrey, passion was one of his names.

"Hey guys!! I'm famished" Janine said as she and Drew walked into the kiss their friends where so deep into.

When they heard Janine's voice they let go of each other and Rory, being Rory, buried her face on Tristan's chest because she was a little embarrassed.

"Next time knock before you come in. . ." Tristan said jokingly.

"Sweetie I live here. . . and, um! You guys left the door wide open. . ." Janine said in an apologizing-ly manner to ease her friend's embarrassment a bit.

"It's OK!" Rory said, as she lifted her head from Tristan's chest "so, um, famished you said?"

"Yeah. . ." Janine said looking at her friend in the only way that true friends communicate, apologizing for coming in so abruptly.

"Yeah, me too" Drew said as he was coming in carrying all the luggage "How about we order pizza?"

"That sounds great. . . do you think Joe will deliver all the way over here?" Janine said, remembering Joe's great tasting pizza.

"Janine, he usually has trouble delivering to my house IN Stars Hollow, and that is three blocks away from the Pizza place. . . so I guess the answer to your question would be: No"

"But we have Pizza Hut" Drew said as he put an arm around Janine's shoulders as a way of consoling her.

"It's not the same. . .", Janine pouted "but I guess it will do. . . for now"

"I'm not even that attached to Joe's Pizza and I basically grew up on it" she whispered into Tristan's ear.

"Hey! I heard that" Janine said as she was walking towards the phone.

The pizza came.  And they ate and then the guys left early because all of them where tired.  Lorelai had planned Stars Hollow for them, and involved them on every single town activity they could go to. . . and they enjoyed everything about every single one of them.  But the reader can guess that they where exhausted, and so where the girls.

After they left the girls spent a little time talking and then decided that it was time to turn in, too.  They had to prepare everything for the beginning of the semester. 

~*~ ~*~ NEXT MORNING ~*~ ~*~

When Janine woke up the next morning Rory was already awake.  There was coffee on the coffee machine and Rory was on the couch reading "Holidays on Ice" by David Sedaris (great essays, if you are into cynic writing and some sarcastic remarks. . . I called it "a Jess book").

"The holidays are over" Janine said.

"I know 'sunshine'. . . and according to him, the spirit was over a long time ago"

"Author?"

"David Sedaris"

"His been known for being quite a realist. . . or so, I've heard"

"And a cynic, in my opinion" Rory stated.

"Then don't read it" 

"You have to explore the different points of view".

"There are as many points of view as people in the world; you cannot explore every single one of them."

"But I can try"

"It will be a lot of work. . ." Janine said following along the conversation.

"I have a system, and different kinds of list that will help me in such task"

"Good for you. . . organization is the key. . . Coffee?"

"After this many years and you still have to ask? Sure, Thanks"

And Janine handed her a cup of coffee and removed the one that Rory already had.

"So, school is starting soon", Rory stated.

"Ugh! Don't remind me. . . or better yet, remind me how much time there is left?"

"Two semesters if we work hard. . ." 

"Then working hard will be, 'cause I want to go and see the world first hand, and this is messing up my groove. . ."

"I know, Donna Pincioti" Rory joked.

"So, do you have any plans for today?" Janine questioned Rory.

"Nope, no plans. . . Tristan told me that both of them had to go to the Real State office to sign some papers and stuff for the company or something of that sort. . ." Rory answered back as she placed her mark on the book she was reading.

"Yeah I know. . . hopefully they would get that up and running soon.  Drew is really looking forward to it.  Apparently they've had many projects and they cannot keep working at their apartments."

"Well, that's good, and from what I've been told everything has been working out according to their work plan."

"It's great isn't it"

"Yeah, and Tristan is happy, because they know each others pace and work habits, or lack there of, so they make a great team"

"Yeah. . . so, um, Tristan's birthday is coming up soon" Janine said, wondering what Rory's plans for his birthday where.

Rory got so excited at the mention of Tristan's birthday that she jumped up from where she was lying and said "I know. . . I've been planning some stuff in my head, but I would like to run it by you so I can find out your opinion"

"OK, shoot!!" Janine said matching Rory's excitement.

"Great, I've had many ideas: one is that we go over to his apartment, and by we I mean you and Drew and myself, and bring him breakfast like you guys did for my birthday. . ."

"Like he did for your birthday" Janine corrected.

"What do you mean 'like he did'?"  Rory asked a little confused.

"Well, he was the one that brought you breakfast, but he didn't want to take all the credit, because at the time you hadn't realized what we all knew, which was that you liked him. . ."

"Huh, that's news to me. . . why didn't you tell me after we started dating?"

"We never dated Rory!" Janine joked.

"Not we, smart ass, Tristan and I, why didn't you tell me after that?"

"Because it made no sense to tell you that, besides it was all means to an end.  He wan you over, didn't he? So what difference did it make me telling you what he did for your birthday. . . besides, that day was full of surprises for you, I mean the guy actually kept a Barnes and Noble open, after hours,  for you to choose the books you wanted"

"Ok, so then scratch the breakfast thing, but I thought it would be cute to start a tradition among us"

"And we can do that, as a group, but YOU, what are YOU planning to do for HIS birthday?"

"Well, we both know that I cannot cook, so that is ruled out of the list, and it would make no sense if I bought the food prepared. . . right?" Rory said, hoping that Janine would say 'of course not, buy it', but instead she said

"Rory, what do you feel for Tristan?"

Janine's question threw Rory off a bit, because she wasn't expecting it.

"Um, you see. . .Tristan. . . His great. . . um. . . he makes me feel. . . well, he is. . . Tristan. . ."

"Rory, once again, what do you feel for Tristan? Before you answer me, think about how great he is, and all he make you feel, and think about all the thing that came to your mind at the moment that I first asked you that question and tell me the first thing that came to your mind, what do you feel for Tristan"

"I Love Him with all my heart"

"Oh my God!!" Janine squealed when she heard Rory say those words and she could only imagine how Tristan would feel when he heard them himself.  Both girls go up and hugged and giggled.  Janine knew how hard it was for Rory to get those words out, because of how things had turned out for her mom at the beginning (before Luke), but apparently this boy, which she had once stated she hated him, had changed everything she had ever believed in.

"So I guess that we know what you'll give him for his birthday, I mean, no gift could be better for him than telling him that you love him" Janine said as they finally calmed down.

"So, do you think that going out for dinner. . ."

"Whatever you decide to do will be fine, just make sure that you come back here afterwards and I will have everything set up for you and him"

"And what are you going to do. . ."

"That would be my present for you on his birthday. . ."

"That is so cool, I get a present on my boyfriend's birthday." Rory joked.

They continued on with their day, went grocery shopping because they had nothing at home.  Grocery shopping involved juices, milk, cereal, tons of coffee and pop – tarts.

The guys came over later that day, and they hung out together.  But they left early because the girls had to get ready for school and they had a lot of work on the next day.

When Rory walked Tristan to his car, he asked her.

"So, um, I was thinking that maybe you would like to go out tomorrow for dinner, just the two of us.  What do you say?"

"Sure, any special reason?"

"No, not really. . . it's just that I wanted to go out with my girlfriend tomorrow, who happens to be my girlfriend of three months on that exact day" he said as he pulled her closer to him.

"I am a fan of the three month anniversary" Rory said as she hugged him back.

"I'm glad. . . so what do you say?"

"Sure thing, tomorrow, you and I, dinner, check!"

"Great, I'll pick you up at 8" he said as he kissed her lightly.

"And I'll be ready at 7:59"

"OK, see you tomorrow then" and with that he got into his car, waved her good bye and drove off.

~*~ ~*~ 7:30pm THE NEXT DAY ~*~ ~*~

"I am running so late, please help me!!" Rory said as she came in running into the apartment and saw Janine sitting at the table working on some paper.  "I got caught up on some research for the sociology paper and lost track of time and Tristan is coming to pick me up at 8"

"I'm on it" Janine said as she got up from the table "Go, take a bath and I'll pick out a dress, shoes and accessories.  And will do your hair and make up, go, go, go!!!"

Rory grabbed her towel and ran into the bathroom, took a quick bath, and went into her bedroom, where Janine had picked out an elegant cocktail dress in silk faille, empire waist with ribbon and bow detailing, black shoes with sling back, and a very small night purse.  She picked out a solitaire necklace that Emily had given Rory for one of her birthdays.  In the purse, Janine had already placed Rory's license, her lip-gloss, fifty dollars (a girl always goes prepared) and a tiny bottle of perfume (eau de Cartier, another one of Emily's gifts).  

When Rory came out she slipped into everything Janine had already set up for her and sat in front of her mirror where she did her make up and Janine helped with Rory's hair, which she lifted into a pony tail, and did some curls on it which she pinned around the pony tail for a slightly different look.  Rory was ready at 7:59.

"Thank you so much" she said as she got up from the chair and as she was thanking her friend the bell rang and Janine went to answer.

When Tristan came into the apartment, he said to Janine.

"8 sharp"

"7:59" came the voice of his beautiful girlfriend as she was coming out of her room.

"Wow!! You look amazing!!!", he said and he couldn't take his eyes off of Rory.

"Thanks. . . just something I had lying around" she said and winked to her friend, who was the only one that knew what she meant.

"We should go, we have a reservation" and he stretched his hand to grab Rory's.

"Bye Janine" she said, and then mouthed 'Thank you'

"Bye, guys. . . have fun" Janine answered, and mouthed 'any time'.

~*~ ~*~ AT THE RESTAURANT ~*~ ~*~

The dinner had been uneventful. . . that was until dessert came, and so did an unexpected person.

***~***~***~***~***~***~***

I am really sorry that I took so long to post this chapter.  I have new ideas about how to continue, of course it will all depend on the reviews I get.  So please take a minute or two to review my story.  Thank you so much, and hopefully I will post a next chapter soon.


	11. The First Fight

**Disclaimer: A very thoughtful person would have thought that maybe for a Christmas present they could get me Gilmore Girls, but apparently no one in my family is that thoughtful, so I guess I don't own it.**

_A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews, I thought that maybe by this time people would've lost interest in my story, since I took like a gazillion years to update, but thankfully it is still liked by the readers, which is great!!_

**Every Time There's a Concert**

Chapter 11: The First Fight

"Could I interest you in some dessert? Coffee? Anything else I could get for you?" The waiter said as he cleared their main course plates.

"Rory, dessert?" Tristan asked, knowing that if Rory didn't was definitely going for coffee.

"Sure. . . um" she said as she looked up at the dessert list "um. . . I would like to have a. . . Mousse Frangelico?!" Rory finally answered. "Oh! And Coffee."

"Make that two of each please" Tristan asked.

"May I say that is a fine choice.  That is one very smooth dessert.  I'll be right back with that" the waiter said and turned to get what he had been asked for.

"So, how are you enjoying everything so far?" Tristan asked as he intertwined his fingers with hers.

"Oh! Everything was amazing. . . I really liked this place" Rory answered as she looked him in the eye, in that special way that only a person in love can.

"So, would you like to do anything else? Anything you want" Tristan stated.

At this moment, their waiter brought the coffee over to the table.  Rory was extremely thankful for the fast service. . . at least for coffee.  But in a Gilmore World, that was the only thing that required a 'speedy' service.

"How about Bungee Jumping" Rory answered back, "You did say anything I wanted"

"Sure thing. . ." he said, and then he looked at his watch "Oh, but you know what?"

"What?"

"The Bungee Jumping place is closed by now. . . I mean, it is after all really late" He said, jokingly.

"Oh! Darn!!! And I was sooo looking forward to finally Bungee Jumping. . . I guess we will have to do that some other time"

"Yeah, I guess so. . . so sorry to disappoint!"

"Well it's not your fault that there are no Bungee Jumping places that are open 24-hours, for those spur of the moment types.  I guess they haven't covered all the possible markets, huh?"

"Guess not. . . So really, is there anything you would like to do?" Tristan asked leaving the joke aside.

"No, we could always go back to my apartment and. . ." but Rory stopped mid-sentence.

"Miss Gilmore, are you proposing something indecent to me, 'cause I can tell you right now that I don't do that kind of thing. . ." but as Tristan was saying this he saw the expression on her face and just followed to where she was looking.

"Um. . . Dean! Hi!" Rory said a little uncomfortable.  It was the first time that she saw him, after they broke up, because of Jess.  Rory heard that Dean moved to Chicago again and finished school there.

"Great" Tristan mumbled under his breath and rolled his eyes.

"Rory! Hey!!" Dean answered with the same awkwardness. 

"It's nice seeing you. . . um. . . would you like to seat with us." Rory said and knew at the moment those words came out that she had done something that she shouldn't have, and looking over at Tristan, who was notoriously upset, knew that she was right.

"Only if your date. . ." but he stopped mid-sentence too, when he noticed who was accompanying Rory "doesn't mind. . . You are dating Tristan. . . um. . . Hey Man, how are you?" Dean asked trying to be polite.

"Peach-y" Tristan answered sarcastically, and Rory pressed his hand a little at his reaction.

"Good for you. . . No Rory, but thanks, I really should be going.  I have to go back.  I have an early flight tomorrow, I just came to visit my girlfriend, who happens to go to Yale. . . But it was nice seeing you again.  Say hello to Lorelai for me, would you?"

"Sure thing. . . have a nice flight" Rory said

"Have a good night. . . both of you" Dean finished and walked away.  But that small encounter had revived many painful memories in Tristan.  Mainly the one that, that guy had prevented him from getting the girl the first time around.  He was aware that it was so much better this time, but still. . . man's pride.

At this moment, the waiter arrived at the table with their desserts.

"Hey man, would you mind wrapping those to go for us and get us the check as soon as you can, please" Tristan asked.

"Right away, sir" and the waiter turn around and went back to wrap up the desserts.

"So. . . I know I shouldn't ask, but. . . would you mind telling me, why are we leaving?" Rory asked, but knew what the answer was going to be.

"You shouldn't ask then" and at that moment the waiter came back with the check for them, Tristan placed the cash on the tray, helped Rory out of the chair.  Got her coat.  Grabbed the desserts and started walking towards the door.

"Thank you so much, everything was wonderful!" Rory said with a straight face to the waiter, who was extremely confused.

"Have a good night. . ." he didn't get a chance to finish because Rory was walking towards the door to catch up with Tristan. "m'am".

_Outside The Restaurant_

"Tristan wait. . . please!" Rory said as she came out of the restaurant.

"Out of all the gin joints, in all the places, he had to come to the one we were celebrating our anniversary to.  Talk about the ironies in life.  His girlfriend attends Yale." Tristan was extremely upset.

"I'm sorry. . ." Rory started to apologize.

"And what exactly are you apologizing for?" Tristan inquired.

"Well for. . . um. . . you being upset"

"Do you even know why I am upset?"

"No, but you can tell me" Rory said, filling every word with concern.

"Of course I can tell you. . . We were celebrating our anniversary Rory, and you invite your ex-boyfriend to sit with us. . . and not just any ex-boyfriend, I mean I could handle Bradley, even Jess, but to invite Dean to sit with us. . . I mean, DEAN, Rory!"

"So it was Dean, so what?" She was getting really upset.

"So what? I can believe you just said that!!!"

"Well, what's wrong with Dean?  You know I had a life before you came into it the first time, and I had a life before you came into it the second time. . . I never hid anything from you"

"Of course you had a life. . . Hell! I had a life too.  But do you remember that particular feeling you felt in your gut when you saw me with Chiara at the Coffee House, THREE months ago."

And now Rory was catching up, and it showed in the expression on her face.  But then she got even more upset.

"Yeah, that feeling exactly.  But I never invited Chiara to sit with us at OUR table, I mean, I even met. . . MET. . . with her when we were not even dating" he said as he lifted his hands in the air.

"Your point on Dean being, what exactly?" Rory said matching his anger now.  They were arguing in the middle of the sidewalk.  A full-blown fight.

"Dean was the one person standing in between you and me the first time around!!!!"

"There was no you and me and No First Time around Tristan, I didn't like you that way back then.  It wasn't his fault that I didn't like you then."

"But if he hadn't been in the picture things would have been different between you and me then"

"NO, they wouldn't have been different then.  I didn't like the guy you were then."

"You wouldn't understand right now, and I don't think I have the energy to explain to you"

"No, you started this and now you finish it. . . I don't know where you will find that 'energy' but you are explaining to me right now what the problem is."

"How could you invite him to sit with US, today, out of all days.  God Rory!! I mean, you loved the guy, or at least you claim you did. . ."

"I claimed. . ." Rory said even angrier now.

"Yeah, you claimed, because if you had loved him, you wouldn't have kissed me that night at Madeline's Party. ."

"That's a low blow, even for the old Tristan. . . I guess it was true, you changed but you didn't forget who you were."

"No, I changed.  Believe me, I changed.  But the person that I hold the dearest, that I would give my life for, just invited her ex-boyfriend to sit with us at OUR table on OUR anniversary.  If you want to talk about low blows we can start with that one.  I changed Rory, but I am still a man that has feelings, and I have always been a jealous man, you know that, you've known that forever."

"You know what? I cannot believe that the man I love the most is behaving that way, so call me when you calm down. . . I'm taking a cab to my apartment?"  And like that she let it slip.  She loved him.

When Tristan heard 'the man I love the most' felt like a thousand bricks fell on top of him at that moment.  Did she even notice what she said? She loved him.  So many feelings ran through him at that moment that he didn't know what to do.  To kiss her, to hold her.  The first thing he had to do was stop her from getting into the cab.

When Rory finished the sentence, she knew what she had done.  She let it slip.  She never intended on things to turn out that way.  She had everything planned.  How she was going to tell him that she loved him, on his birthday, surrounded by candles, at the park, she would set everything up with Janine's help.  And now everything was ruined.  But maybe not, he was so upset that maybe he didn't notice what she had said.  But when she turned around and saw the look on his face, she knew that those words had not passed by that way.  Goes to prove he's a good listener.

"I wasn't supposed to tell you like this" she said when she looked at him "I had everything planned out perfectly.  Those words don't come. . ." but for the second time that night she stopped mid sentence.

When she turned around and started talking, he closed the gap between them fast, walked towards her, and kissed her softly.

". . . easy for me" she said as he let go of her lips.

"I love you soooo much. . . years, years I waited for you to say those words to me. . . I don't care how you said them, but that you said them" and he kissed her again and again, right there in the middle of the sidewalk, for everyone to see.

"Yeah, but it was supposed to be perfect" she said.

"And it was. . . I am so sorry for how I reacted, I know I was a jerk"

"That, you were DuGrey. . ."

"I shouldn't have said that Rory. . . that one kiss held me forever and would have lasted even more if I hadn't come across you again."

"I love you Tristan. . . I honestly do. . . The real thing. . . not a crush, not 'I love you' like a teeny bopper. . . I love you like in the big leagues" she said as she smiled at him and her eyes beamed.   Not as much as his, though.

"And how do they love in the big leagues, Gilmore?" he said as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.

"Oh! I don't know. . . you know all those hurdles they have to go through, and all the training, and the scouts, and all those things. . . well we went through all that to get to this point"

"Got it!" he said as he placed a tiny kiss on her nose.

"Really?!?" Rory asked confused.

"Nope, but it sounded like a good attempt to explain something with sports when you totally lack any knowledge on that subject"

"You could tell, huh?"

"Hardly, you covered it well. ."  He lied. 

"Great. . ." and they started walking to the car, like that scene and that first fight never happened.

"You know. . .?" he started.

"Yeah. . ."

"If you already had everything planned on how you where going to tell me that you love me, I guess I can pretend for a couple of minutes that I don't know that you love me, and you can go along with what you had planned. . ." he said as he opened the door to the car for her.

They reached Rory's building and he walked her to her apartment.

"So. . . are we okay?" Rory asked, still worried.

"Yeah, we're fine."

"I'm sorry for upsetting you. . . I knew I shouldn't have done it bu. . ." and he kissed her again, over and over.

"You've made me the happiest man on earth. . ."

"I'm glad. . . it's a way to pay back that you've made me the happiest woman on earth all this time. . ." she said and she kissed him this time  "I should go in know, we both have long days ahead of us tomorrow"

"Yeah, I should get going"

"OK, have a great night. . . I love you" she said and it was as if he couldn't let go of her, he came back and kissed her again, and again, and again. . .

"I should go, if I stay another minute here I might never leave again. . . I love you too" and he finally left. . . and she watched as he left, until he got on the elevator and waved good-bye.

_Inside the Apartment_

Rory closed the door and leaned against it.

"Hey Gilmore!! You look love-struck" 

"Janine!!!! God, you scared me!!! I didn't see you there"

"With those little hearts you have in your eyes, I would believe it is extremely difficult to see anything. . . So dinner was good, I take it"

"Not at all. . ." Rory said as she left her coat on the hanger at the entrance and walked towards Janine at the couch.

"Care to elaborate on that. . . 'cause if after a bad night you come back looking like that, I would really like to see how you would come home after a good night"

"Well we started dinner and we were talking, and laughing, and everything. . . and then it was time for dessert"

"What happened?"

"Dean happened"

"Oh!!! Enough said!!"

"Believe me, there's more. . ."

"OK!" Janine placed a bookmark on the book she was reading "you have my undivided attention."

"Well, we were talking and all of a sudden Dean is standing behind Tristan, but Tristan doesn't know who is behind him, and Dean doesn't know who I am having dinner with"

"And they both hated each other _soooo much"_

"And they still do. . . so you can imagine.  And 'my stupid mouth, it got me in trouble' because I asked Dean to sit with us. . ."

"Uuuuuh, bad move!!" Janine stated and winced at the thought.

"And I knew that. . . yet I still asked him to sit"

"Describe expressions. . ."

"So, Dean doesn't know who I am sitting with, but Tristan already knew who I was talking to, so I got his expression first. . . and then Dean's when he saw it was Tristan. . . and all of a sudden I felt right back at the school dance so many years ago, they had those exact same faces."

"Yeah, but the rolls where different. . . this time Tristan was the boyfriend"

"So, Dean left a minute after that, and Tristan asked for the check and all that. . . by the way, here's dessert, enjoy. . . and paid and we left, and then we had this major fight. . ." and so Rory gave Janine all the details of the fight and how she had told Tristan that she loved him.

"So are you still going to do what we had plan"

"Yeah! I mean, it was part of his birthday gift, right? So I am still going to do it"

"Great, then we have to start looking for everything."

"Although, there might be some change in plans"

And Rory proceeded to tell Janine the small changes that she was planning to do.  Janine was all for it.

"So. . . have you told Drew that you love him? Or has he?"

"Yep. . . actually he said it first"

"You didn't tell me about this. . ."  Rory said really excited

"Well, you see, it was on thanksgiving break. . ." but Janine got interrupted by Rory's squeal.

"THANKSGIVING!! And you are telling me this now. . ."

_~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Flashback~*~ ~*~ ~*~_

_Drew's house.  __Hartford__._

"Janine. . . would you like to play tag with us outside?" 5-year-old Emma asked, as she saw Janine sitting on the porch.

"Sure, Emma. . ." and got up and started to play with all of Drew's nieces and nephews.  They were 7 in between the ages of 5 and 8, sons and daughters to Drew's 2 sisters and 2 brothers, and the youngest who was little Daniella, who was 3.  

"I want to play too. . ." Daniella said as she saw that everyone was going to play.

"No, Daniella, you can't play because you are too young and this is only for big boys and girls" Jeremy, her 6-year-old brother, told her.

"Janine, I wanna play too. . ." Daniella said as she saw that Janine was approaching her.

"Make you a deal. . ." Janine said to the kids. "What if I carry Daniella, so she won't get hurt, and we can all play…" 

"Yeyyy!! Yez, pleez" Daniella said.

"Is that OK, with you guys. . .?" and the answers were affirmative from all of them.

And they started to play, and run around all over the porch and the front yard, and everywhere they could run to.  At this moment, Drew came out of the house to see his girlfriend running around the place, and hiding and, basically acting like a kid.  A few minutes later, one of his sisters and his sister-in-law came out of the house and saw the same scene.

"Those kids love that girl. . . she is so patient with every one of them. . . you have a great girl right there, don't let her get away" His sister said to him.

"I don't intend too. . ." and with that he ran to where Janine was and grabbed Daniella from her and they all started playing.

When the kids finally got tired, they walked to the house, and Janine and Drew where laughing at Daniella, who started to run as if she was one of the big kids, but the 'big kids' forgot she was coming and left her behind.

Right then Janine tagged Drew "you're it" and she started running to no avail because he caught up with her really fast, and as he picked her up from the waist and turned her around they fell on the ground and started laughing so hard.  When they finally realized where they were they stopped laughing. . . and Drew stared at her.

"God you are so great!. . . no wonder I love you so much" and he kissed her as they were lying on the ground.  She was shocked but when he released her from the kiss, she said "I love you, too.


	12. Tristan's Birthday

**Disclaimer:** It has been said that if you wish upon a star, your wish might come true. . . let me tell you IT'S NOT TRUE.  I wished for Gilmore Girls, and it didn't come true, so I have to say, again, that I don't own the characters or the show or that I am in anyway related to the WB (although I wish I was).

**A/N:** And I am back!! Thank you so much to all of those persons who took the time to read the chapter and a double thank you to those who not only read but reviewed it, too.  A special Thank You to Trory4Ever (Thank you, you are extremely nice and your review brighten my day).   I have to say something though (not related to the reviews), you can tell by my name that I am a Trory Fan, but with all this Jess spin-off I have to say that I am a little bummed.  I mean, Tristan went away and we lived thru that right? Although, have you noticed the ratings for Gilmore Girls Beginnings: I don't think it is a coincidence that the episodes where CMM is a guest star are the ones with the higher ratings. . . but anyway, they brought Jess, and I honestly like the guy, he is cute and he gave the show a little spice (not that it needed it, but hey!) and now they take him away. . . hasn't the WB noticed that people would rather see Rory with someone rather than Dean, but no, they KEEEEP HIM. . . anyway I am done with this rambling, just needed to get that out of my head, even If it doesn't make sense to anyone. 

So finally, after all this, here is the next chapter.

**Every Time There's a Concert**

_Chapter 12: Tristan's Birthday_

After weeks of planning the moment came.  It was now time for Rory to go through the preparations for Tristan's Birthday.  They still had a couple of days to work on it, but Rory had been doing lists of pros and cons of all of the options she had for his birthday since, practically, the holidays. . . and was driving Janine crazy with all that.  But she wasn't taking any chances; she wanted everything to be great for him, just as he had managed for her birthday.

"So have you finally figure out and decided on what it is that you are going to do for Tristan's Birthday?" Janine asked on Thursday morning as she and Rory where drinking their morning coffee before going to school.

"Here is the thing, there are so many options but according to my lists I think these ones are the best ones.  Now this is when you come in.  Tell me which ones to discard and which ones to keep.  Here is a copy of the expenses on each idea and what we have to do to get to it.  And here is a copy of my budget.  Remember this is for the whole day, so keep that in mind."

"Wow! You don't leave anything to chance, do you?"

"Nope. . . and specially not with this"

"OK.  Give me idea number one."

"Idea #1.  We start the morning with breakfast in bed.  I have managed to talk to the doorman at his building and he is going to let me in, then I know where Tristan hides a copy of the key to his apartment.  Breakfast will include: Bagels and Cream Cheese and Salmon, which I will have sliced by Ramon over at the meat place in the corner. . ."

"Ramon? How do you know Ramon? And since when, I mean we don't even go to the supermarket let alone the butcher"

"Work with me here, I told you I've been working on this for a long time"

"Working ma'am, so how do you know you will be able to wake him?  I mean, what if he is already up when you get there?"

"His birthday, luckily enough, is on Sunday, therefore, being Sunday the day of rest, that's what he'll be doing resting. . . I sound like my mom. . . so, he usually wakes up around 10 on Sundays because when he calls me on Sunday mornings it is usually after 10, so I figured that I have to be there around 8 or 9 to wake him."

"Check.  That seems like a good idea, and although it is almost the same thing he did for your birthday, it is still a little bit different. . . next idea please"

And by now they had started to walk out of the apartment, and while Janine went to get the elevator, Rory locked their apartment door and joined her.  They could check the whole list on their way to school.

"So after the whole breakfast thing," Rory continued as she joined Janine in the elevator "I thought that maybe we could go to meet with you guys, and hang out a while before going to lunch, where we already have reservations, made by Tristan, because he wanted the four of us to go to lunch together, and where I have arranged to have them bake a carrot cake, which is his favorite, that will say Happy Birthday, and asked them NOT to sing Happy Birthday to him, because I really, really don't like that, and I don't want to put him through that embarrassing moment."

"Good. . . but, um, do you think that his parents might call to ask to meet them or, ask him to drive back to Hartford?"

"Well, apparently they wanted him to drive back to Hartford, but he said that he already had plans, and that he would drive to Hartford some other day. . . even if he forgave them, he didn't forget and he was telling me that he has been alive for almost 22 years and they had barely remembered 4 of his birthdays so why should he leave us and go to Hartford now. . . it is very confusing for me, but I have to support him and his decisions." 

"That's intense. . ." Janine stated, a little dumbfounded.

"Yeah, to say the least, but he learned to live his life that way. . ." and with this they had finally reached their building and had to go to each of their classes "so anyway, I'll meet you back home, at what time do you get out?" Rory asked.

"Um, I get off at 1, but Mr. Green is out sick, so I might get out around 11", Janine answered as she checked her schedule.

"Great, I get off at 11, but I have Mr. Green at 9. . . it just sucks that we couldn't get as many classes together this semester, it is throwing me out of loop here. . . So I guess it would be better if we meet at home and then organize ourselves, is that OK?"

"Yeah, great.  I'll see you at home. . ." Janine said and started to walk away "you are in charge of lunch today" she said and she got lost in the halls.

Rory went on her own way.

_At Lunch_

"So Mr. Green did show up, huh?" Rory asked as she heard Janine walk into the apartment.

"Yeah. . . and I am famished. . . Chinese?" Janine asked as she saw the familiar Chinese food boxes.

"I'm sorry, did you want pizza instead?" Rory asked sarcastically.

"No, Chinese is fine. . . so what are we having?"

"I asked for the whole rice menu this time"  Rory said as she handed Janine a pair of chop-sticks and a box with mixed rice.

"Great" she said as she grabbed the box and chop-sticks.

"You're crabby" Rory stated.

"Yeah, sorry, it's just I'm overwhelmed.  I missed an assignment in class, that I had to turn in last week, and I didn't even know I had to do it. . . I'm just so distracted."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know.  Listen, if you want to catch up with your school work I understand.  I can do the whole Tristan thing on my own."

"No, maybe this will help me to get out of this funk."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. . ."

"So are you going to tell me what's wrong and why you hadn't mentioned anything to me?" Rory asked as she sat on a chair by the table.

"It's just, um, I don't know, it's Drew."

"What about him?"

"Well things are getting really intense, and I don't want to get into some really big relationship again. . . I've been through this before, the long relationship, and it's excruciating, and it's tiring and. . ."

"And you don't want to loose him" Rory finished for her.

"Yeah."

"You know that it is perfectly normal for you to feel this way right, maybe you are just a little scared of, oh, I don't know, your relationship with Drew might turn out to be like the one with Daniel."

"Maybe a bit."

"But not all guys are like Daniel, and your relationship with Drew doesn't have to be that serious if you don't want it too."

"I know, but I am afraid that if I tell him that, he might get upset."

"If he loves you, like he told you he does, he will understand."

"Yeah," Janine answered a little reluctant "you're right."

"But this is just my advice.  You don't have to follow it if you don't want to."

"Yeah, well. . . I will think about it"

"Great."

"So, what where you doing up until now, because I know it wasn't cooking"

"Well, I called my mom, because I haven't spoken to her for the last couple of days.  And then I started working on some school assignments.  Then I ordered the food and that's it."

"So, are you going to finish telling me the day you have planned."

"Sure. . . so, where were we? Oh, yeah.  So after lunch, here is when I need most of your help. . ."

And Rory finished telling Janine her plan after that.

_That Night At the Girls Apartment_

Relationships.  So many things can be said about them and the course that each of them take.  Even if one is different from the other, they usually walk along the same line.  They start amazingly well, and everything is perfect.  Then there's the first fight, and sometimes you can judge the future of the relationship depending on how far into the relationship does this first fight occurs, but it is not always the case.  

And then the relationships start heating up, and boy, can that be confusing if you are not sure of how far you want it to go.  And sometimes you're so sure, it's scary.

Rory and Tristan's relationship wasn't the exception.  For some time now, their kisses were different, more passionate, and more intense.  It was as if they were searching for something that would only be found as they deepened the kiss.  They were both in love, but just didn't now how much in love they were.

That night Tristan buzzed Rory's apartment.  Janine wasn't home that night, Drew had come to pick her up; they had been dating for over six months and he thought that they should go out and hang out at the place where they had first met, "The Hub".  So Rory was home, alone.

"Rory?" Tristan asked as he came through the door that Rory had previously opened for him.

"Come in, I'll be right out" she answered from the bathroom, but he could hardly understand, she was brushing her teeth as she said that.

"Hey, I brought movies."

"Great, I'm done."  And with this she came into the living room, which only took three or four steps from the bathroom. "Hi" she said as she came across to where he was standing and he leaned in to kiss her hello.

"Mmm.  Minty fresh"

"Yeah.  So what did you bring?"

"Well, I brought some comedy" he answered vaguely.

"And do this 'comedies' have names"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure they have. . . apparently it is a requisite."

"Really!! Care to tell me their names" she was very suspicious.

"Not really."

"Let me see the movies Tristan." She said in a stern-like voice.

"No."

"No, what do you mean, no."

"Exactly that, no."

"Oh, come on Tristan, pretty please tell me which movies did you bring." She said, and proceeded to pout.

"Oh, come on!! That is not fair."

"Tristan please, tell me."

"Liar, Liar and Ace Ventura"

"Jim Carrey?"

"Well, the guy is good. . . he is a very funny, funny man."

"Jim Carrey?" She asked in disbelief.

"Yeah! Come on, give him a chance. . . for me"

"Sure, why not" she said as she sat on the couch, feeling a little defeated.

"Great. . . oh, don't do that.  You'll see.  You'll enjoy it."

"OK, color me expectant"

And he inserted Liar, Liar in the VCR.

"Do you want anything to drink or eat, we have left over Chinese, and coffee and soda."

"Thanks, I would like some coffee. . .  what part of the Chinese food menu did you ask for this time?" Tristan asked as he set up everything in the living-room, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"The Rice" Rory answered back.

"You're on rice again, you were done with the menu really fast this time.

"I know, John was amazed by it too. . . so do you want any, the coffee is almost done."

"Maybe later, thanks, I'll stick with the coffee right now."

"I'll be right there"

And she finally joined him on the couch and handed him a mug filled with coffee.

"So, tell me about your day?"  Rory asked as she made herself comfortable and nested in Tristan's shoulder.

"Well, we had our first client today. . . he wants us to design a logo for his company and apparently, if we do a good job. . ."

"When you are done with a great job. . . continue" Rory interrupted.

"Yeah, when we are done with a great job, if he likes it. . ."

"When he likes it. . . continue"

"He wants us to do the whole layout for his store and everything.  He has a clothe-design firm, so it would be great."

"That sounds excellent, doesn't it?" Rory asked, because she was a little confused at the lack of excitement from Tristan.

"Yeah, I just hope we don't get in over our heads here."

"You won't.  You and Drew are responsible enough to know when to say yes and no to a work project.  Besides, I will be more than glad to tell you if you are getting in over your head.  I am very objective.  Journalism teaches you how.  I had a class on that." She finished this statement in a joke manner to lighten up the mood.

"Thanks" and he kissed her lightly on the lips.

"You're welcome" she said and kissed him again.

And then the movie was forgotten, as they went into a full make-out session.  The kisses between Rory and Tristan had changed, they were becoming more passionate, it was as if they where searching for answers. . . or searching for something.  To the untrained eye, though, it might look like they might swallow each other whole, but in an extremely sweet way.  But they never went at it in public places.  Rory wasn't good with the public displays, and he respected that, although he was fine with them, Chiltonites could vouch for that. . . even Rory.

As the kisses became more and more intense, so became the caresses.  Rory started to touch Tristan's jaw line, and moved along to the back of his neck, until she had her hands up in Tristan's hair.  Tristan's hands were traveling down Rory's side until he placed his hand on her hip and proceeded to lift her leg.  His hands went up and down her thigh and then he proceeded to play with the hem of her t-shirt, until he touched the bare skin under it.

With Tristan things have been always different.  Jess had been a great guy and a great boyfriend up until the point that he didn't fight for her the way he should have, but nonetheless, he knew how to do the passionate-intimate stuff, I mean, lets face it, the guy was from New York and he had the 'world-ness' Rory lacked, therefore the experience.  But Tristan, not only had the ways of the world that she didn't know, but the experience with as many girls as Rory could remember, and obviously that had work to his advantage.  But still. . . Rory wasn't ready, just jet, for something like that without having it planned, soooo. . .

"Tristan" she said in a muffled voice.

"Mmhmm" was the answer, because he wasn't intending on letting her go just yet.

"I think it is time for you to go home, sweetie. . ." she replied really fast.  

Tristan groaned.  But he respected her and her decisions so, he just let go of her neck, which he was kissing at the moment, and placed his forehead on her shoulder.  And took a really, really deep breath.

"I'm sorry" Rory stated as he did that.

"Don't be, I won't force you to do anything you don't want to.  I'll wait as long as I have to.  Don't worry."  He answered sincerely, and kissed her cheek.  "But I will go home, only on one condition."  And he lifted himself with an elbow to look directly into her eyes.

"Sure, what's that?" she said as she was looking at him.

"You will give Jim Carrey a chance"

"That's it!!" She asked.  Apparently she was expecting something else to come out of his mouth.

"That's it."

"I think I can do that.  Sure, why not."

"Great."  And he started to lift from the position they were in "Well then, Miss Gilmore, I do believe it is time for me to go.  May I kiss you good night?"

"Why, Mister DuGrey, that is so forward of you"

"Well, what can I say?  I'm scum"

"Good night, Tristan" she said and kissed him good night as they walked towards the door.  All the way to the door.

"Rory. . ." he said, this time, in a muffled voice.

"Mmhmm", she said, not letting go of him.

"If you really want me to go, then you should really not do this right now, because I will never be able to leave."

"Sorry. . ." she kissed him one last time as they opened the door  "go.  'Bye"

"Bye. . ." he said as he walked the hall to the elevator.  She waited by the door until he got into the elevator and then went into the apartment and closed the door behind her.

_Sunday: Tristan's Birthday_

Rory woke up around 7am that day.  She was really excited about the birthday, as much as if it had been hers.  She got up, went to take a shower, got ready, grabbed the things that she needed to take to Tristan's apartment and left on her way.  

On the way to her destination, she decided that it was a better idea if she bought the coffee someplace else instead of brewing it at Tristan's because she was almost sure that the smell alone would wake him and she didn't want to do that, so she stopped by the Coffee House, and bought three cups of coffee, but the asked for one more, just in case.  And she went on her way, again.

She finally reached Tristan's building where Joe, the doorman, was waiting for her and opened the door as soon as he saw her.

"May I help you with the bags, Miss Gilmore?" Joe asked.

"Actually you could help me carry these cups of coffee up to Tristan's apartment.  That would be a lot of help."

And with that Joe grabbed the coffee from Rory's hand and went to get the elevator. 

"So, the day's finally here Miss Gilmore."

"Yeah, I hope he enjoys everything today.  Thank you so much for your help Joe.  You where a vital part of today's festivities."

"Don't mention it.  It is my job to help in as much as I can."

When they finally reached Tristan's floor they headed towards the door, where Joe said his good bye's wishing to Rory that everything went as she hoped it would.  Rory thanked him again, and as Joe got into the elevator again, Rory started looking for the spare key, that Tristan hid on one of the plants in the hall.

She opened the door, and was relieved to find that Tristan was still asleep, because there was no sign of him anywhere in the house. . . and there was no coffee in the pot, either.  She got everything into the kitchen and proceeded to prepare the bagels, which consisted of spreading the cream cheese and place slices of salmon over them.  She placed the coffee in a cup and decorated the tray that she would carry everything in with blue and white.  Everything was set.  She picked it up and went into his bedroom.

His bedroom was not the typical guy bedroom.  He kept it really, really neat.  You found everything in its place, no socks or underwear lying around on the floor.  On his bureau, you would find his different colognes, his gel, his brush, everything in perfect order.  Apparently, military school had taught him well, and he carried it on forever.

And then she saw him.  He was so peacefully asleep; she almost regretted having to wake him.  For a minute, she even hesitated and thought that maybe she would let him sleep for a couple of minutes more before waking him.  But then she figured that maybe it was almost time for him to wake up so she started her way towards his bed.

"Happy Birthday, Angel" she said to him and placed a small kiss on his forehead.

"I thought that you might never come in here" he said as he slowly opened his eyes.

"You knew?" she asked a little disappointed.

"No, I didn't know, but I heard you in the kitchen. . . you are a loud chef" he stated in a joking manner.

"I'm sorry. . . it was supposed to be a surprise."

"And it was, a very lovely surprise. . . so are you going to sing Happy Birthday to me?" he asked as he slid to leave room for her in the bed.

"I love you to much to put you through such a horrid experience. . . but I can play a tape with happy birthday in it"

"No, that's OK. . . so what do we have here?" he asked as he looked at the tray.  And Rory sat next to Tristan on the bed.

"For your eating pleasure, we have prepared for you a treat that has only been known to the Greek gods,  thousands of years ago. . ."

"Cream cheese was known by the Greek gods?" he asked jokingly.

"Go along with me here. . ."

"Going along, ma'am"

"And this is only the beginning. . . I have the whole day planned." She stated, excited by the idea that the day had finally arrived, and hoping that he would like everything she had prepared for him.

"OK, tell me about this plan. . ." he said as he grabbed the bagel that Rory was handing him.

"Well, it is kind of a surprise. . . and besides it is a very flexible plan, so if you have anything you want to do, we can." She said as she grabbed a bagel for herself.

"What about lunch? I didn't know you were doing this. . . I could cancel the reservation if you want"

"No, it's OK, that was already in the plan. . . so is there anything you would like to do?" 

"In this day you've planned, is there a time that I will have to spend on my own? Without you I mean."

"No"

"Then I'm game for anything you have planned"

"Your game?" she asked.

"It is a pop-culture expression used as a way to tell that I am up for whatever you have planned." he explained sarcastically.

"I know what it means, I just have never heard you use it before"

"TV can do that to you, it gets into your brain."

"I know, it is a shame. . ." she stated with the same sarcastic tone.

"Come here. ." he said as he patted the spot in front of him, and she sat there with her back resting on his chest. . . "That's more like it, you were sitting so far away" He said and he kissed the top of her head. "So tell me, is there any time planned for just you and me?" He asked as he placed his arms around her.

"Well, we have this time in between breakfast and lunch.  I told Janine that we would meet them before lunch for a while, but I can cancel that if you want."

"You wouldn't mind? Because I would really like to spend this time here with you. . ."

"Sure, just give me a minute and I'll call her" and with that he reached the phone and handed it to her.  She started dialing and Janine answered almost immediately.

--- Rory/Janine Intercut ---

"Hello?"

"Eager, are we?"

"Hey Rory, I was just on my way out."

"Listen, would you mind if we met you guys at the restaurant at one?" Rory asked as Tristan kept kissing her neck.

"No, actually it works out well, because I haven't been able to do what you asked me to, so it will really be very helpful.  I'll tell Drew OK?"

"Sure, so see you later then"

"Great, bye." And she hung up.  She was a little rushed, she knew that what Rory had asked for was very important for her and she couldn't let her friend down, and she was already behind schedule.

--- End ---

"Thank you" Tristan told her as she finished the conversation.

"No problem.  Do you want another bagel?"

"Yeah, I am famished. . . Can you hand me the coffee too, please?" 

"Yeah, here. . . I don't know if it's still hot, though"

"Yeah, pretty much. . ."

"So, is there anything you want to do right now. . ."

"This is pretty much it" he said as he finished his second bagel.

"Lying in bed?"

"Yep. . . but it's not just lying in bed when you are here, it's more special"

"OK, laying in bed it is. . ." she said as she finished her own bagel.  

A few minutes later, the food and coffee was all done, and Rory attempted to get up and leave the tray and dirty dishes to the kitchen, but Tristan stopped her.

"Later, let's just place it down here" and he grabbed the tray and placed it on the floor "So, where's my birthday kiss?" She couldn't help but smile as she remembered that same question from, oh, so many years ago, on her 16th birthday.  "What was that smile for?"

"Oh, nothing. . . of course there's a birthday kiss" and with that she shifted positions and kissed him softly.

"_It's my birthday" Tristan told her as she broke apart from their kiss._

"What?" Rory asked, confused.

"That's what you said the first time I asked you where's my birthday kiss" he stated and smirked as he saw how she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"You remember that?" she said with a smile on her face.

"You could say I do. . . is that why you smiled?"

"Yeah, I don't know where that came from because it was so long ago, but when you said that I felt 16 again"

"I have to tell you something.  I'm madly in love with you"

"Really? Can you eat?"

"No, I can't"

"Can you sleep?"

"Nope, not that either"

"Do you wake up in the middle of the night saying my name, Rory, Rory?"

"Yeah. . . How ever did you know?" he asked, following along.

"Well, I have psychic powers. . ."

"So, what do you think I should do about this?"

"I'm psychic not a doctor. . . good luck with that"

"Good luck with that?!?" He said and started laughing "Come here" and he grabbed her hand and pull her down under him, and then kissed her long and deep.

"I have a birthday present for you" he told her, as he placed a small kiss on her lips.

"Even if we reenacted that scene, it is safe to tell you it is not my birthday"

"I know, but I still have a present for you"

"You are like the coolest boyfriend.  It's your birthday and I get a present too!!" she said, excited.

He reached over to his night table and pulled out a small box, and handed it to Rory.

"What's this?" Rory asked as he handed her the box.

"This, is called a box, it is used to store objects in them.  Funny thing, but they usually have different sizes for your different storage needs.  Come on open it. . ." 

And as she opened she saw a silver ring.  He then proceeded to retrieve it from the box and grabbed her hand.

"This, Rory, is an exact replica of this ring" he said as he showed her his own silver ring "and it is for you to use it in your middle finger also" and with that he slid it down on her left hand middle finger.  "Please don't freak out.  I know it is a ring, but I just thought that it would be nice if we had the same ring, there is no hidden meaning behind this present"

"No, it's great.  I love it" she said as she looked at her finger, and then she grabbed his left hand and held it up against hers.  "It is identical"

"Well that's the meaning behind 'exact replica'" he answered.

"It is, isn't it? OK. So, what now?"

"Well it is still early and. . ." he glanced at the clock that was on the night table on Rory's side "we still have time 'til one, so, what to do? What to do?" he pretended to ponder, and then gave a half smile and leaned down again and kissed her.  "I have the perfect plan. . ."

"Which is?" she asked.

"Are you still sleepy?"

And they both laughed.  And then after a while, they both fell asleep in each others arms.  

Rory was more tired than she thought she was because she was the first one to fall into Morpheous' arms.  All the preparations for today had her exhausted and after going through with one third of her plan she fell into a deep slumber.  

Tristan on the other hand couldn't believe that he had her right there, in his bed, sleeping next to him.  They had slept in the same bed before over Thanksgiving weekend at Lorelai's house, but this time was different.  She was in _his bed, in his _apartment_, on _his _birthday.  So many feelings filled him the moment he saw that she was finally asleep.  He took the chance to look at her, really look at her.  She was so beautiful and peaceful when she slept.  You could, almost, see her smile in her sleep.  Her face looked so soft and she looked so fragile.  Her eyes held the same beauty as if they were open, because he knew what was behind them.  Her hair was on his chest and on his shoulder, her lips had no lipstick or lip-gloss and where just parted.  How was it that after so many months together he had never really had the chance to see how delicate all of her features where, and therefore how delicate she was?  He remembered at that very moment, how much he loved her; he had to fight the urge to kiss her and touch her, so he just held her.  That would suffice. . . at least for now.  And, with all those thoughts in his head, he too fell asleep._

Around 11:30, Rory woke up to find Tristan's arm around her waist.  She slipped out of his grasp to go to the bathroom and start getting ready.  But something stopped her.  He really looked peaceful when he slept.  How was it that a man that looked like that when he was sleeping could stir all those feelings inside of her, awake?  She cursed herself for not giving him a chance before, when they where younger.  And then she remembered that it was not their time to be together, that destiny had _this prepared for her later on in her life.  When he would be able to appreciate what he had. . . and so would she._

She went out of the room and into the living room to grab her bag, and then proceeded to go to the bathroom and get ready for lunch.  If at 12, Tristan wasn't up she would go and wake him for him to start getting ready.

But it wasn't necessary.  As she was in the bathroom getting ready, Tristan knocked on the bathroom door.

"Are you decent?"  He asked from the other side of the door.  

She proceeded to open the door to let him in.  "Yeah, I'm done.  Come in, I'll finish getting ready outside" She was wearing a navy blue skirt down to her knee and a light blue and navy blue shirt, but she was still barefoot and had her hair pulled up so she could do the little make up that she used to wear.

"That's OK, are you almost done? 'Cause I can wait"

"Yeah, I'm just finishing my make up"

"OK, then I'll wait out here. . . would you like me to close the door for you again."

"No, that's OK.  I believe it is safe for you to see me apply my make up"

"Sure, I'll just go check what I am going to wear. . . maybe you could help me with that"

"Sure, just let me apply this and I am. . ." she said and finished applying her mascara "done."

She helped him pick out a pair of khaki pants and a beautiful blue shirt that only accentuated the deep blue of his eyes. . . and the tone of his skin.

They finished getting ready and headed toward the restaurant, where they met with Janine and Drew.  Lunch time was done quickly and when Drew finally glanced at his watched he noticed that it was almost five.  The crew had brought out the Carrot Cake they had baked for him, and _didn't_ sing Happy Birthday.  The only thing that made Drew glance at his watch was the fact that the cake was gone.  

"Would you guys excuse me, nature calls."  And Drew lift from his place at the table. . . but didn't go to the bathroom, instead he went to speak to the maitre'd and paid the check, as a way of a birthday present for his friend.  

When he came back, they where all aware of the time and decided that it was time to go their separate ways.

"Check please" Tristan asked to the first waiter that he saw.

"Your check has been taken care of, Mr. DuGrey" he informed Tristan.

"Thanks" and the waiter walked away, and Tristan proceeded to look at his friend "Nature Calls? I should have known better"

"Well, what can I say.  Happy Birthday Man!"

"Thanks, bro"

"Sweetie are you ready to go?" Drew asked Janine.

"Yeah, we should let them go back to their celebration. . . I hope you have a very Happy Birthday Tristan, of what is left of the day.  I am glad I had the chance to celebrate it with you."  She said as she hugged him.

"Thank you, Janine.  I am glad that I spent it with you guys, too"

"So, Rory. . . I'll see you later, right?"  Janine asked.

"Yeah, we'll be there later" Rory answered back.  But they, and only them, knew what they were referring to.

Drew and Janine said their final good bye's and left them there.  They proceeded to take a ride down the road.  They did the last part of Rory's Birthday plan and then went to her apartment.  And this is where the real birthday present was. . .

_Rory and Janine's Apartment_

"OK, here is the next part of your birthday present.  But I have to blindfold you" and she took out of her purse a bright colored scarf.  And she placed it, gently, over his eyes.  "OK, tell me if you see anything"

"I could so easily lie to you right now"

"But I now you won't. . . so tell me if you see anything"

"No, I don't see a thing."

"OK. . . grab my hand" she did this to test him.

"I can't . . ." he tried to grab her hand but never reached it "I don't know where your hand is. . . I am blindfolded you know"

"Good. . ." and she grabbed his hand and intertwined her fingers with his.  "I will tell you when we are close to a stair, a door, or anything OK?"

"OK.  Good thing this building has an elevator" he said as they opened the front door of the building and Rory helped him step into the building and then into the elevator.  When they where in it, she pressed the button that will lead them to her floor.

When they reached  her floor she led him out of the elevator and then down the hall to her apartment door.

"OK, here we are. . . don't take the blindfold off yet"

"OK"

She searched for her keys in her purse and then, when she found the keys, unlocked her door and opened it for him.  Janine had come through for her, and she gave a silent thank you to no one.  She led him into the apartment and closed the door behind them and then she removed the scarf.

When his eyes adjusted the light, he saw what his present was.  She was standing right in front of him, and the whole living room/dining room/kitchen was lit up with candles of different shapes and sizes and colors.  The only thing he was able to think of was, just how much beautiful she looked in the candlelight.

"I know it is terribly clichéd, with all the candles and everything, but I thought that it was probably the only way that would help me go through with this. . . it is after all, extremely romantic, I think"

"It's beautiful. . . but when did yo. . ."

"Janine helped me. . . I called her when we where coming over, and that's why I blindfolded you from the very entrance of the building, because I wasn't sure if she was gone or not and I didn't want to spoil it."

"Is that what you were talking about in the restaurant?"

"Yep. . . so. . ."

"So. . .?" He said as he walked to where she was standing.

"There is something very important I have to tell you. . ."

"What would that be. . .?"

"I am extremely thankful to my lucky star that she let me get to know this great man that is standing right in front of me. . . and I thank my lucky star that I had the chance to meet that annoying 16-year-old boy so many years ago, because that way I would know just how lucky I really am. . . life has blessed me in so many ways, that I can't help think that somebody up there loves me.  I am happy to have you in my life, you are, next to my mom, one of the most important persons I have in it.  What I am getting to is, that I want you to know that I love you more that I've ever loved anyone, and I thank God that he gave me the opportunity to see you again and blessed my life with having you in it.  If this were to end tomorrow, it would have been the most beautiful 5 months I spent in my life.  You never let one of those days be a dull day, you always had something that made each, and every day with you, the best day, so I guess that I've had approximately 150 of the best days of my life.  I love you more each day that goes by, and each day that goes by I know that it would be harder not to spend the next one with you."  And with that she kissed him. 

While she was doing her speech he couldn't believe what he was hearing and held her tight and then tighter with every time she said that she loved him.  Never in his wildest fantasies could he ever think that Rory Gilmore would tell him that she loved him.  So this time it was his turn.

"So many things come to my mind right now, and each of them coincides in one thing.  Never in a million years could I ever think it possible that this would happen to me.  With you, I mean.  I never really thought that after the way things ended with us the first time this would be happening to me.  But Rory, I have to tell you something.  I love you more than life itself, I would do anything to make you happy, as happy as you have made me over the last months.  It was a long way that we came and I am glad that we are here.  I love you.  I never had a birthday quite like this one. . . thank you" And he kissed her.

He kissed one cheek, then the other.  To him that meant affection and devotion.  He wondered if she understood it.  He started kissing her lightly.  He remembered how much he had felt earlier, in the morning, when he saw her sleeping in his bed, and couldn't help but sigh.  She just smiled at him.  When he started to brake apart she drew him to her.  He had broken from the kiss because he was feeling too much too soon.  He placed his hands on her back and let them travel to the small of her back as their kiss deepened.  The kiss grew hotter and hotter and when he placed his hands on her hips and she pressed against him, he thought that he might just die right there.

She couldn't believe what she was doing, but it felt so right.  She wanted that kiss to last forever and she didn't want to brake it.  So she was surprised when she started to tempt him to take everything at once, he started to react to that but then. . .

He, with all his experience, had learned that pleasure taken slowly, given gently, could be so much more gratifying.  And she responded to tenderness so much more than to something driven by heat.  And she deserved every bit of tenderness he could muster.

Her stomach fluttered when he skimmed her lips with his, offering, promising.  She heard her own sigh escape, a soft, giving sound that whispered across his lips.  Then he murmured her name, quietly, as if it were the only thing he needed to hear.

There was no rush.  She didn't feel rushed.  She wanted to go through with this.  She loved him as much as she could ever love anyone, and thought that this was the next step to take.  His needs seemed to meld with her own.  She let herself enjoy the soft kisses that aroused the soul before they tempted the body.  Relaxed, she allowed herself the thrill to the light caresses that made her strong enough to accept being weak.

They started walking, as they kissed, towards Rory's bedroom.  To his surprise, she was leading the way.  He needed to ask her if she was sure of what she wanted to do.  When they went into the bedroom he saw the bedroom was also decorated with daisies in vases al over her room.  The bed was open.  More to his surprise, she had planned it this way.

"Rory. . . are you sure you want to go through with this?" he asked as she pushed her away a bit so that he could see her reaction when he asked her.

"I have never been so sure of something in my life" was her answer and she pulled him to her once again.

This time things were different.  With her answer, he was more sure of himself.  He didn't want to  hurt her, and didn't want her to do something that she wasn't sure of.  And she was sure that that was what she wanted.   

His lips met hers again.  This feeling was foreign to her, in a way.  It had been a long time since her first time, with the only person she had ever done it with.  Jess.  And this was so different from that one.  This was soft and slow, and extremely gentle and loving.  With Jess had been the same, and yet so different.  

He began, slowly, gently, testing them both.  His lips were patient as they moved over hers, light and soothing as they kissed her eyes closed completely, letting the feeling take her wherever he was taking her.  He didn't touch her, not yet, though he couldn't help but think how it would feel to caress her as though it were all new.  And then he remembered it was.  That _with her_ it was.

Her body seemed weightless, gloriously light and free.  She felt the pleasure go through her, but sweetly, fluently, like a stream.  There was so much to absorb.  The flavor of his lips as they lingered on hers; the texture of his skin as his cheek brushed hers; the scent that clung to him; the dark curious look in his eyes as he watched her.

She looked as she had when she slept that morning in his bed.  Fragile in the most arousing way.  And she felt. . . At last he touched her, fingertips only, along skin already warm.  He heard her sigh his name in a way that she never had. . . it almost had a melodious tone.  He touched and she yielded.  He tasted and she gave.  When he shifted her, she felt as thought she could float. . . and maybe she was.  When he started to undress her, she opened her eyes, needing to see him again.

The candles made her, actually, glow only to accentuate her beauty, he thought, as he slowly drew off her shirt.  He couldn't take his eyes off her, couldn't stop his hands from touching, though he had no desire to be quick.  When she reached up, he helped her pull off his own shirt.  He took the hand that now held his ring in her middle finger.  He kissed her fingers, and her palm and her wrist, until he felt her tremble.  Bending, he brushed her lips with his again, wanting to hear her sigh his name.  Then, watching her, waiting until she looked at him, he continued to undress her.

Slowly, achingly slowly, he drew her skirt down her legs, pausing now and then to taste newly exposed skin.  Pulses beat at the back of her knees.  He felt them.  Lingered there.  He ran his hand slowly down her knees to her ankles, kissing every inch, causing her to moan.  The he waited, letting her settle again as he stripped off his own pants.  He came to her, flesh against flesh.  Nothing had been like this.  Nothing could be like this.  Or so she thought, and then. . .

After everything was over she felt weak.  She had never known pleasure that way.  She had never known love could bring so many things in her life that way.  She was happy.  And he was ecstatic.  

"Did you know that when I was in second grade, my teacher, Mrs. McKay sent a note to my parents?"

"I didn't know that.  And what did that note say?" She said as they were holding hands in bed.

"Well, you see.  We had this fish in our class"

"Uh-Huh"

"And I wanted to see it flop, like in the cartoons"

"You didn't?"

"I did.  One day I grabbed the bowl and turn it over and dropped it on the floor"

"Did it flop?"

"Yeah, but only for a little while, and then he died"

"What did Mrs. McKay say?" she was trying really hard not to laugh.

"Well she sent home a note. . . of course, the next day I showed up with another fish that I wasn't supposed to make it flop.  I saw Mrs. McKay once when I was in North Carolina"

"Really? Did she remember you?"

"I believe her exact words where, Mr. DuGrey, made any good fish flop lately?"

"And what did you say to her?"

"That I had taken up fishing"

"That was mean."

"I know.

Time went by and they just kept talking.

"So my mom told me that the name of the tree was a 'Weeping Willow'"

"Uh-Huh" he answered as he heard her story develop.

"So I spent days outside reading to the tree and telling it jokes and playing music to it, so it would cheer up"

"Oh, Rory" he said and he placed a small kiss on her nose.

"Apparently it didn't work so I gave up"

"Well you tried and that's what counts"

And then they finally gave in.  They where tired and it was time to sleep and so they did. . . in each others arms just like they had earlier.

_4:16am___

_Lorelai___

"Aaaaahhhhh!!!!" was the scream that followed the jump.  Lorelai woke up in the middle of the night startled of her dream.  Luke had cheated on her.  He had cheated on her with Taylor's lawyer, the one he had dated that time so long ago.

"I have to know what it means. . ." she tried to get out of bed and tried to turn on the light.  But when she did she decided against it, because the light hurt her eyes.

So getting the book that Rory had gotten her for "Dream Interpretation" was out of the question.  So the next logical thing was to call her, she would probably know what it meant anyway.

Amazingly enough she found the phone rather quickly and started dialing her daughter's number.

_Rory_

Tristan and Rory were sleeping deeply.  The phone was on Tristan's side, just like in his house.  When the phone rang, the next logical thing was to answer it.  So he did.  Rory just stirred.

"Hello!" He answered in a very sleep-sunk voice.

"Tristan is that you?" Lorelai asked when she heard his voice over the phone.

"Lorelai!!!" He said as he jump to consciousness quickly enough.  And so did Rory.

"Tristan, what are you doing in my daughters house at 4:19 in the morning?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


	13. The Morning After

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews.  As always, no matter how many reviews I get it makes me really happy to get them, each and every one of them.  I'm glad that you like my story.  And also I would like to thank all the persons that sent their get-well wishes either via e-mail or review.  Thanks for caring.  I will also like to make a clarification: this will not be a story in which Rory gets pregnant, so keep that in mind.  The fact that they slept together was because they are in love and that is the only reason.  Here is the next chapter.**

**Every Time There's a Concert**

Chapter 13: The Morning After

When Rory heard Tristan almost scream Lorelai's name, she woke up too and seated on the bed as she saw him look. . . shocked.  Shocked can be the right word.  Searching for a good explanation could be another way to put it.  

There was a silent pause.  And then Lorelai spoke again.

"Soooo. . . are you planning on answering my question?"

"Would you believe that this apartment is in my paper route?"  Tristan answered.   What was a guy supposed to answer a mother? 

"Sure paper boy, is my daughter up?  I don't think she could sleep through that scream of yours just now."

"Yeah, I'll put her on. . ." he said and he covered the mouth piece and spoke to Rory "It's Lorelai"

"Yeah, I heard. . . thanks" she said as she grabbed the phone.

~*~*~*~*~* Lorelai/Rory Intercut ~*~*~*~*~*~

"It's 4:19am" Lorelai told Rory.

"You finally got your clock fixed, that's great!" Rory told Lorelai.

"My daughter the comedian, ladies and gentleman. . . Care to elaborate"

"Not really mom.  Whatever conclusion that you just draw right now couldn't be far from reality, and there is no point on me lying to you so. . ."

"Your boyfriend is not really good under pressure, huh?"

"Well, he usually is. . . but after all it is 4:19am so he doesn't function well at this time"

"Where you careful?"

"Yes.  But would you please not ask me anymore. . . I am still entitled to have a private life, right?"

"Just one more thing"

"Yes"

"Was he good?" she asked teasingly, but she had lost the concerned tone she had before.

"Mom, you can be so crude sometimes" 

"Well you did get la. . ."

"Don't finish that statement. . . it is, after all, your daughter you are talking to" 

"You're right. . . so, um, are you OK?" Lorelai asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks. . ." Rory answered and gave Tristan a wink so he would relax.  He knew Lorelai was a cool person, but he respected her, and didn't want her to think that he was taking advantage of Rory.

"You know, you can tell me anything right?"

"Yep.  So, um, was there a reason why you called at this hour?"

"Well. . . I had one of my dreams again."  Lorelai answered a little embarrassed, because she knew what was coming.

"I got you that book on dream interpretation so we could skip this" she said and she gestured with her hands as if Lorelai was actually watching her.

"What? Me calling you when you had a boy in your bed?"

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, but. . . the book is downstairs, and I'm up here. . . and I didn't want to go down there, and the phone was up here. . . so I figured, hey let's call Rory, I mean, the phone was of easy access for a reason. . . boy, was I mistaken"

"Mom, I told you to have that book next to your bed. . . it is, after all, where your dreams usually occur. . . so, care to tell me what your dream was about?"

"Right now, I don't seem to remember why that was important. . . would you do me a favor?"

"Sure"

"Call me, after lover boy leaves. . . please"

"Sure thing mom. . ." 

"OK, try and go back to sleep"  Lorelai asked, but she knew, that at least she wouldn't be able to do that until she spoke with her daughter.

"OK, good. . . morning mom" and they hung up.

~*~*~*~*~ End Intercut ~*~*~*~*~

"How is she?" Tristan asked as soon as Rory hung up.

"Well I have to call her later on, but she sounded OK"

"I'm sorry"

"Why? It wasn't you fault"

"Yeah, but I answered the phone and I shouldn't have"

"You didn't know.  I mean it is very, _very, early in the morning.  Who functions well at this hour?"_

After a moment of silence, Tristan spoke.

"Not quite the awakening I expected on our first night together"

"Really? And what did you have in mind?" She asked, to try to put him at ease.

"Well, I would wake up before you did and go and make coffee for you"

"Coffee is always nice, what else?" she asked as they slid again under the covers and they hugged.

"I know, and then I would come and wake you with a cup of coffee and say something clichéd like 'you look even more beautiful in the morning'"

"We can skip that. . ." she said jokingly.

"And then I would kiss you, and say thank you"

She turned around to look at his face and ask him "Thank you for what?"

"For doing this. . ." he gestured "us"

"Well it is always a pleasure. . ." but she was very confused "what do you mean?"

"I never, in a million years, thought that I would have the chance to be like this with you. . . I guess that after all I must've done something really good to deserve you, but for the life of me, I cannot think of what"

"Tristan, sweetie, you are a great guy. . . and I am as lucky as you are, I guess then, because you have been a great boyfriend and not only that, but the best friend that a girl could have too.  So I guess I lucked out twice"

"Rory, I meant everything I said to you last night. . . I love you so much, and I will try my best to not make you regret any of the things that we've been through"

"I don't need for you to tell me that, I already know that" she said and kissed him.  "And no matter what happens in the future, trust me when I tell you that I will never regret any of the things that we've been through, OK?"

"OK."

"Do you have another story to tell me of when you where little?  I really liked the one about the fish" she said as she rested her head on his arm, with her back to him and his arm around her waist.

"Yeah, but I don't know if you would like this one.  When we where in 5th grade, Mike, Josh, Brad and me, we would get small pieces of mirrors, like the ones that come on the compact powder things you girls use, and we would place them on our shoes, and then when girls weren't looking we would place our feet under them, when they where standing, and we would see their underwear"

"That's mean and gross"

"We were boys"

"Yeah. . . but dirty boys, nonetheless"

"OK, if you are so disgusted with my story, then I guess it's your turn"

"Well, my mom told me that when I was little I had a thing with the phone, and she says that whenever it rang I would run from where I was to go and answer it, and I would ask 'who's this?' and wouldn't let go of the phone until they told me."

"That's cute"

"It makes no sense if you ask me.  It's funny, because you've been to our house and you know the problems we have with that particular appliance.  It's very elusive"

"It's still cute"

"Tristan"

"Yeah"

"At the risk of quoting some really big summer blockbuster. . . do you think that it's possible that someone else in the world is doing this very same thing at this very same moment"

"I'm sure of that.  But I know one thing"

"What's that?"

"No one can be as lucky as I am right now"

"I could think of someone"

"Really? Who?"

"Me"

"You? Oh, well then I take back what I said before, there is someone luckier than I am.  You."

"That cockiness will never go away, will it?"

"Come here lucky one" and he kissed her cheek, as she laughed at the comment.

After laughing and talking some more, they finally  fell asleep. . . again.

Around 9am, Tristan did as promised.  He got up, slid back into his boxer briefs and went into the kitchen to prepare coffee for both of them.  He decided to call Drew to tell him that he was going to be a little late, while he waited for the coffee to be ready.  And when it was ready he poured it into two mugs and went into Rory's Bedroom again.  It surprised him more and more everyday the fact that she chose to love him and that he could love her more than he could ever imagine possible.  He walked over to the side of the bed she was sleeping in.

"'Morning beautiful" he said as he placed the coffee mug on her night stand and leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"Hi!" She said as she opened her eyes and saw him next to her.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked her as she stretched herself a bit, in bed.

"Yeah, how about you?"

"I believe that I never had a night like this one" he answered.  She grabbed his left hand with hers so the rings where one next to the other.  He smiled at this.  "Got you coffee"

"I knew I loved you for a reason" she said as she covered herself and sat on the bed again.

"Yeah, my ability to make coffee is the one thing why coffee-addicted girls follow me around"

"Well I hope that I'm the only girl you are making coffee to."

"You can be sure of that. . . you could be the only one forever. . . do you have class today?"

"Yes, but until 2, so I still have time. . . what about you?"

"I already graduated"

"I know, I meant if you had to go to work?" 

"Yeah, but I already called Drew that I was going to be a little late. . . I have to be there, though, around 11:30 because we have an appointment"

"Do you want to have some breakfast. . . I am almost sure that we have cereal of some kind in the kitchen"

"That would be great, thanks"

"Um. . . do you mind handing me my robe. . ." she asked shyly.

He smiled a bit, "Sure, where is it?"

"It's in my closet, open it, and the first bright pink thing that catches your attention, that's the one"

And he did as he was told, and handed her the robe.

~*~ ~*~

They went into the kitchen and as she suspected there was cereal, of some kind. . . the stale kind.  So they gave up on having breakfast.  Tristan decided that it was a little late, and that he did have to go and get ready.  With this they went into Rory's bedroom and started picking up his clothes from where they were left on the night before. . . the floor.  Tristan got dressed on what he had worn the night before and as they were walking towards the door, kissing good bye, they heard the jingle of keys and the door opening.  It was Janine.

"Oh, God!! Do you have no respect for other people?" She said as she saw them kissing when she was coming in.

Tristan smiled a bit.  "We usually do. . . but, you see, there was no one in here but Rory and me until you came in. . . so, you figure it out"

"That made no sense what so ever Tristan. . . do you get like this every time after s. . ." but she was cut off.

"Oh, God!! Look who's talking about respect? You and my mom should stop talking!!" Rory joked, as she interrupted her friend's crude comment.

"What do you mean. . . did your mom call while you. . ?" Janine asked, concerned in a way but really just getting all the gossip so she could tease them later on.

"Oh!! You know what, really, I don't feel like discussing this right now. . . come on Tristan, let's walk you to the door or you'll be late" Rory said as she stopped her friends comments, they were getting worst by the minute.

"Bye Janine" Tristan said as he was being dragged out.  When they were outside of the apartment he asked her "are you upset about something?"

"Yeah, her comments. . . I mean, she's my friend and all, but she doesn't have to be so. . . oh, I don't know, I'm sorry.  It's just that I don't see why her comments had to be so tacky and out of place"

"She was only joking, Rory"

"Yeah, I know.  I am overreacting, but I still have to face my mom about this, and as cool as she can be, I don't think it is easy for her to comprehend that her daughter is sleeping with her boyfriend. . . I still have a hard time coping with the fact that I just slept with my boyfriend, how am I supposed to make some other person understand it. . ." she finished with a rhetorical question.

"But it wasn't your first time?" Tristan asked, they really didn't even have the 'how many partners' talk yet.  For one thing, she knew he had had many before her, but didn't want to know how many, because she would have a hard time dealing with how many are too many.  And he, honestly, didn't want to know who had been before him, so they both avoided it.

"No. . ." she started a little reluctantly "it was my second" she finished as she was staring at the floor.

"Your second time?", he asked in disbelief.

"Well, yeah. . . I mean, you know.  I didn't date much before you, and even when I dated you, I didn't know I was dating you, you know? So, um, before you I've had, three boyfriends, but I only slept with one of them. . .once.  And, I don't sleep around or anything, I don't have one night stands.  And even that one time, it wasn't even planned, it just happened, and so. . . I guess I should stop this rambling, because it is kinda late, and you have your meeting and. . ." she trailed off, as she saw the look on his face.

"I did _not know that?"_

"Well, we avoided this topic pretty well for the last five months, and I didn't know if you would've wanted to know if I. . ."

"Well, I didn't really want to know. . . it made no difference to me if you had or hadn't, because you've made it pretty clear that you had a life before I came along, so I assumed. . ."

"Well, you know what they say about assuming. . ."

"Yeah, and I guess it had never applied so well. . ." he glanced at his watch "so, um, I really have to go, but I will call you. . . really call you."

"OK, um, I'm going to go and talk to my mom right now, but tell me how your appointment goes, OK?" she said as she placed her hands on his chest and kissed him, softly, good bye. "Have a nice day at work, honey?" she said as she winked at him.

"Bye" he said as he pushed the button for the elevator, and it opened almost instantly.

She just waved before the doors closed, after he got in to the elevator.  She walked down the hall and into her apartment where Janine was waiting for her.

"Did I say something to upset you?" Janine asked as Rory came into the apartment.

"Well, it would be easier to tell you what didn't upset me. . ."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to act that way"

"Me neither, I am just a little touchy.  My mom called in the middle of the night and Tristan answered the phone"

"Oh, God! I'm sorry"

"I know. . . I'm sorry too, I overreacted"

"That you did.  But you had your reasons. . . so what are you going to do?"

"Well I have to call my mom, and talk to her"

"Do you think she's going to be upset?"

"No, but she is concerned I believe"

"OK, so. . . I'll just be out of your way. I have a couple of errands to run, so I'll be out of your hair"

"Oh, OK, thanks"

And with that Rory went into her room and picked up the phone from its cradle, and called her mother.  The phone rang twice before Lorelai answered on the other side.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Rory/Lorelai ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

"If this isn't Rory I am hanging up"

"Mom, it's me"

"Good, 'cause I've hung up on so many people today, that if I did it any longer, I would have no more friends"

"So how are you, mom?"

"The important thing here is how you are"

"I'm fine, mom. . . really"

"Did Tristan pressure you into it?"

"Mom, no, he wouldn't do that to me. . . you know that"

"Then why?"

"Because I love him, mom.  And I wanted it to happen.  He never pressured me into anything, let alone this.  You know I wouldn't lie to you"

"Yeah, but why didn't you tell me anything, you use to tell me everything"

"Mom, there are some boundaries, I believe, of what a daughter can tell to a mother, and the fact that I was considering having sex with my boyfriend. . . well, I thought that it was something that only concerned me, and no one else"

"Yeah, but you tell me everything" apparently Lorelai couldn't get passed that.

"Even to a cool mom like you, mom, it would be a little hard to comprehend. . . would you have told Grandma that you were planning on sleeping with my dad?"

"Not ever in this lifetime. . . I believe, that she still believes that I haven't done it since then"

"Please do not go into so much detail"

"But you see, my relationship with my mom is so different, I can't believe you are comparing it to ours?"

"No mom, I am not comparing it to ours, I know that that is not possible.  I was just trying to make a point"

"Which is?"

"That some things are hard to talk to a mom?"

"Yeah, but. . ."

"No mom, no buts.  I'm sorry if you feel that I should have told you that I was planning on doing this, but I don't think that I should have.  I still don't think that I should have"

"OK, so. . . may I ask you something else?"

"Yeah"

"Where you careful?"

"We've already been through this, mom.  Yes, we were as careful as a couple can be on these things."

"Please let it always be that way, Rory. I really wouldn't want you to go through the same things I went through."

"Was it so bad?" Rory asked, because she felt a little sting of guilt or regret or anger towards that last comment.

"Not one minute of it, Rory, you know that.  But I would want bigger and better things for you.  And you know that what we went through in our life was never easy.  You know that.  And I don't want that to happen to my daughter.  Listen Rory, I got lucky kiddo, I mean, the only thing that I could argue about you was that you read to many books at one time, which is still beyond me.  I know parents don't have it as easy as I did.  Luke told me once a long, long time ago, that I had lucked out, and he was right, I had.  I have.  But again, not so many people that go through parenthood experience have it this easy. . . I mean, look at my mom.  So please, always be careful.  There is no better thing in the world, or a more rewarding one, than being a mother, but there are so many more things if you are a mother supported full-time by a father.  Always remember that, angel face."

"Thanks, mom.  I really will.  But I still, as thankful as I am to your advice, think that I shouldn't have told you"

"And you are right, Rory.  You are, indeed, entitled to your private life, and I have to respect that"

"Thanks, mom.  So are we OK now?"

"Yeah we are"

"Great. . . sorry to cut this short mom, but I do have to go; I've got class in a couple of hours and there are some things that I would like to take care of."

"Sure. . . so call me later OK"

"OK, bye mom. . . and thanks again" and with that they hung up.

~*~ ~*~ End Intercut ~*~ ~*~ 

And after everything, both Rory and Tristan went along with their normal activities of the day.  

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

A/N 2: I know this chapter was shorter than the ones I usually write, but it was only to get a few points across.  As a matter of spoiler, if you will, things in paradise are going to start getting bumpy. . . but the love between the main characters will prevail, but you know that everything in a relationship is just always so perfect, and this one won't be the exception. . . if you feel you have some ideas that would help me I would be glad to add them, but I have and idea of what I want to do.  Thanks for your support and stay tuned.

Mary

  
  



	14. Another Author's Note

Dear Readers:

It's me again. . .  apparently I am getting used to doing this kind of author's note.  I am a little disappointed about the only review for the last chapter I wrote, but then again you probably didn't like it, and that is why it wasn't worthy of a review.  I am going to be out of my country for a couple of weeks so it will be a little while before I update.  Thanks for understanding, and I will try to put up a new chapter as soon as I get back. . . and hopefully it will be one worthy of your reviews.

Mary


	15. Shifts and Turns

**Disclaimer: **See previous chapters.

**A/N: **I would like to thank everyone who reviewed.  Then I would like to apologize for two things: First, for taking so long to add this chapter, but my trip got a lot longer that expected.  And second, I don't know if anyone if you noticed, but I pulled a Dean. . .  Drew doesn't have a last name.  So, for writing porpoises we are going to pretend that Drew's full name is going to be Andrew Hughes.  Again I am really sorry, but I didn't notice this fact until I was half through this chapter.

**Every Time There's a Concert**

**Chapter 14: Shifts and Turns**

Life goes on.  That's a famous phrase.  Everyone uses it at least once. . . once a day, once a week, once a month. . . it pretty much depends on the life philosophy of the person who is using it.  But, nonetheless, is a famous phrase because it pretty much applies to every occurrence in a person's life, whether it's a good or a bad one.

Well, when a person is in a relationship. . . yeah, you guessed it!! LIFE GOES ON.  It's a famous quote because it inevitably signifies that time stops for no one and you have to learn to live with the metaphorical "lemons" that life gives you, the difference lies in how you make the lemonade.

The day was only beginning when Tristan and Rory received Lorelai's phone call; and after that experience Rory and Tristan had to get to their lives.  So let's start with what happened with Tristan that day:

Tristan left Rory's apartment building to go to a very important reunion at the office in Hartford.  Drew and Tristan where meeting some exec from a magazine that was re-doing their layout and they had been chosen to do such a task.  It was a real big thing because they where competing with another two companies, and if they liked their work they would also get the job (and in their case a really big opportunity) to do the web-page's new layout, too.  So you can imagine how excited and, thoroughly, stressed they where.

Add to Tristan's load of preoccupation, the fact that his girlfriend was at the moment discussing her sex life, which inevitably included him, with her mother. . . and you have a very dangerous mix.  Of course it was Lorelai, which was one really cool person in his book, but come on! How cool can a mom actually be about her one and only daughter's sex life? Which if you asked him, wasn't much of a sex life if it only happened once. . . but that one time would hold him for ever. . . well maybe not, but still. . .

DuGrey & Hughes Desing Firm was a very comfortable office, with very modern décor.  They had finally decided that Hartford was a good choice to set the office, since all the major industries that may require their services where _in_ Hartford.  But Hartford was also a short drive from New Haven and that would make it just good enough.  They wouldn't have to move, they were too fond of their respective apartments, their girlfriends where leaving in New Haven.  So they decided on the very strategic point in Hartford where everyone would find them that would also provide a nearness to their respective lives in New Haven.  

The design inside the office was very avant-garde.  The offices where only divided by glass.  So you can imagine that if you wanted to look into an office, you could.  So as Tristan was having a monologue inside his head that could give Ayn Rand a run for her money, he was gesturing with his hands, and rolling his eyes, go deep in thought and back again, almost pull his hair, and everything else. . . and Vicky, their assistant, was having a great time looking at one of her bosses almost going insane.

Vicky was a 60-year young woman, who had started working with them upon recommendation of Tristan's father, she had worked with the older DuGrey for years, and Mr. DuGrey thought that maybe she would help organize his sons' firm. . . but when she got there both men had everything under control, but they still kept her, because Tristan knew her and was very fond of her, since she had been the one assistant his father had who was nice to him because she wanted to and not because he was the boss' son.

So, anyway, Vicky turned out to be a very important link in the chain.  And after enjoying watching Tristan beat himself up, she finally decided to come in to his office.

"Sorry to interrupt this thing you have going on here, but it's almost 11:30 and Drew and you have to go set up"

At this moment Tristan glanced at his watch and discovered that Vicky was right. . . that it was almost time.

"Vicky, what would we do without you?" he said as he got up from his chair, and started to pull folders and papers together so he could get back to them after the meeting.

"I _am indispensable in this place" she said as she glanced around his office._

"And on that humble note. . . maybe next time you could tell me about my meetings with a little more time"

"Tristan, honey, go electronic and let me be" she joked and looked at her agenda.

"If I went electronic you would be of no help to me. . ."

"OK, let me rephrase that. . . twenty minutes before a meeting OK for you?"

"Make it 30, please"

"Got it", she said, and started to leave.

"Um, Vicky?"

"Yeah" she said as she turned to look at him again.

"Could you tell me the name of the exec who's coming?"

"Sure" she said as she looked at her schedule and located the 11:30 appointment "Daniel Montgomery"

"OK, Thanks"

And he walked away.  At this Vicky couldn't help but think and say out loud, to herself (she thought) "If he were only 40 years older. . ." but then she added it up and said again "he would probably still be to young for me I believe. . . they didn't use to make them like that when I was their age"

Just as she was saying that Drew was standing behind her and heard everything she said and teased her mercilessly (as he usually did).

"I always liked them older than me"

"Andrew!! You scared me half to death. . . you cannot keep doing that to a person my age. . . and besides, you couldn't stand being with me"

"Oh, if you only gave me a chance, Vicky"

"You boys are driving me crazy. . . go to work Andrew and see what's wrong with your friend.  His been beating himself up all morning about something"

"Sure. . . Um, Vicky?"

"Daniel Montgomery"

"And you wonder why I love you?"

"Go to work, Andrew!!"

Drew just smiled at the order he had been given and went on his way towards the meeting room where Tristan was beginning to set up.

"You know, if you keep giving Vicky so much grief, she will either quit or take you up on your offer of running away together, and to be honest, I am not looking forward to either one of those options."  Tristan stated as his friend walked into the meeting room.

"How did you. . ."

"The divisions in this office are made of glass, believe me when I tell you that you don't need x-ray vision to see through them"

"But it's so fun to tease her that way"

"Just do me a favor and do it sporadically; she is older than we are and deserves our respect"

"I will, I promise. . . So, you nervous?"

"Yeah, you know. . .?" he said as he stopped setting up and pocketed his left hand "you would think that with time it would've gotten easier, but it hasn't."

"I know, I'm a little relieved, you know? I thought I was the only one. . ." he said as they started to set up again "hey man, are you all right?"

"Yeah" was Tristan hesitant response, "Why?"

"Well Vicky told me that you have been beating yourself up about something the whole morning and I wondered if it was something that you wanted to get out of your head."

"How did sh. .. ? Glass divisions, again.  I knew we should have gone with the other design that we had as an option. . ."

"So, is it something that you need help with?"

"Not really, it's just something between Rory and me, and I would rather keep it that way"

"Got it. . ." Drew said, but then added "Are you guys all right? I mean, you're not fighting or anything are you?"

"No, we're fine.  We've been fine.  But it's just some things that we have to deal with, ourselves.  Nothing major, don't get any ideas, but it is couple related." He finished.  But the added  "Thanks for your concern."

At the time the boys where talking inside the meeting room and after Vicky had returned to the reception desk, she heard the door open.  In walked in a tall, blond hair, woman in a black beautiful two-piece suit and stiletto shoes.

"Hi, I'm here to see Mr. DuGrey and Mr. Hughes.  I have an appointment at 11:30"

"Sure, was Mr. Montgomery unable to make it?"

"Oh, no.  There is probably a mistake, my name is Danielle Montgomery"

"Oh, of course… I am so sorry Miss Montgomery." Vicky said as she realized the misunderstanding.

"It's OK, it is a common mistake. . . I'm actually use to it by now"

"Well, I still apologize. . . They are expecting you.  Let me walk you to the meeting room for the presentation that they have set up for you" Vicky said as she started to get up and walk in the direction towards the room.

"Thank you"

"May I offer you something to drink?"

"Yes, actually, a glass of water would be fine"

"OK, this is it. . ." and Vicky opened the door for both of them and announced Miss Montgomery to the guys "This is _Miss_ Montgomery, not Mr. Montgomery as it was expected", and then proceeded to pour a glass of water and placed it in front of her at the meeting table.

At the mention of a female name, both men straightened up.  Somehow it was always a little difficult to do a presentation to a Woman Executive, since they where a little more preoccupied with details than, they have come to find out, most of the time went over their heads.  Still, this did not mean that they didn't get thru with them with flying colors, but they had to accept that women where better at details than men. . . in every aspect.

Miss Montgomery was very surprised to see both men.  They were so young, so creative (from what little she could tell). . . and extremely sexy.  Especially Tristan.  She was not that much older that they where, she couldn't have been over 4 or 5 years older than they where.

The men introduced themselves as she stepped closer to them.

"Hello Miss Montgomery, my name is Tristan DuGrey and this is my partner Andrew Hughes", he said as he extended and shook Danielle's hand.

"Nice to meet you Miss Montgomery" Drew added as he extended his own hand to greet the client.

"We are extremely sorry for the misunderstanding" Tristan added.

"It's OK. . . as I told your assistant, it is a common mistake" and she held her sight to Tristan's making him shift slightly.

"So, let's carry on with the presentation, shall we?" Drew said to brake the awkward moment.  

And with this Tristan started the pitch, as it had always been set up to do.  They had a very structured way to do their presentations so that they would both speak the same amount of time, so that the presentation was well balanced.  Drew had always been the most creative one of the two, and Tristan had a natural talent for the finances, maybe from all the family businesses that he had been hearing talk about since he could remember.  But this did not mean that couldn't do the creative pitch or vice versa.  They both could do both things, they just thought that doing it that way it would be less confusing for the client.

But while they where pitching the idea to Danielle, the exec, you could say her mind was somewhere else. . . in the gutter, maybe.  She was totally impressed by Tristan, she couldn't take her eyes off of him.  A hard task to many women in his lifetime.  But for the first time, this advances towards him made him a little uncomfortable.  Even when Drew was doing his part, she would partially pay attention to what he was saying, and then her eyes would wonder off to where Tristan was.  He could actually feel the way she glanced at him every few seconds.  That kind of attention is always nice for a man, but somehow he couldn't find it in himself to enjoy that feeling, that self-assurement that sometime people get when they are being admired.  And when the time came to ask questions, she didn't ask any and instead gave them the job immediately.

"So, Miss Montgomery" Drew said as he finished the last part of the presentation, "this concludes our presentation to you.  Do you have any questions or comments on this?"

"No, actually it is all pretty clear for me.  I do believe that out of the three agencies that pitched their ideas to me, yours has been the best."

"Thank you" they both said.

"That being said, I believe gentleman that the job is yours.  The people at the magazine will contact you to work out the details."

"Great, we will expecting the company's call"

"It was nice meeting you, gentleman" she said and extended her hand to them, shaking Drew's first, and then Tristan's lingering  a little in this one and staring him right in the eye, with a look that he could actually feel his clothes ripping of from him.

"Same here", Drew said, since Tristan was a little distracted.

And with this she walked out.  But it wouldn't be the last time she will see them.  It wouldn't be the last time that she would see Tristan if she had anything to do with that.  And she will.

When she walked out of the meeting room, Tristan expelled a sigh he didn't know he was holding.  And Drew looked at him a little confused.

"What's wrong with you? Never would I have thought that I would live to see the day that Tristan DuGrey would loose his cool around a woman"

"I have no idea. . . but there was something about her that just rubbed me the wrong way"

"The way she was looking at you, rubbing you any way would have sufficed for her."

"Ja. . . Ja. . . funny man!"

"Well it's true. . . I guess you could say that she was having thoughts of an impure nature of you. . ."

"Yeah, it was very distasteful"

"Distasteful? Are you listening to yourself? You are so offended by that.  Did you see her? I mean, she is absolutely gorgeous.  Really DuGrey, what is up with you? I remember a time when a girl will throw lustful looks at you and you would jump her as a feline attacking it's prey."

"Times have changed.  I've changed.  And I cannot longer do that and you know the reason why.  And while I don't deny that she is gorgeous. . . I can't deny either that  there was something about her. . ."

"Stop with the 'something about her' line.  May I remind you, my dear friend, that you are only married to Rory in your head.  I am not telling you to go and pursue that woman, but there is no harm in her looking at you the way she did.  Do you think guys don't check out Rory when they see her.  They do.  I've seen them. ."

"Dude, come on! That's my girlfriend you are talking about"

"Yeah, and a hot one you have.  And from what I've been told you are pretty hot yourself, although where they see that is beyond me, but I've known girls that have done pretty much anything for your attention.  I guess this is just the first time that a girl gives us an account because of your looks and hoping to get into your pants"

"Yeah, maybe I'm, overreacting a little. . ."

"A little? You are overreacting, period. . ."

"Well I hope you are right."

"I am.  Trust me"

"She just seems familiar to me. . . did she seem familiar to you?"

"A girl that hot? Trust me, I wouldn't forget her."

But somehow Tristan couldn't let it go.  There was something about Danielle Montgomery that made him think that he might have known her at some point in his life.  And apparently it wasn't a good memory if he couldn't quite put a finger on it.

But while the guys had this small conversation in the safe confines of the meeting room, Mrs. Montgomery was on her way out and stopped for a minute to ask Vicki a couple of questions.  But mainly one, which was the most important.

"Excuse me, I was wondering.  They're friends right?"

"Yes m'am, best friends actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah, they went together to school and onto college afterwards"

"They both graduated Chilton?"

"Um, no. . ." but Vicky was starting to get a little uncomfortable with the questions "Military School. . . how did you. ."

"Oh, my! Look at the time. . .I have another meeting to get to, thanks." And with this she ran out of the office and towards the elevator.

And Vicky hadn't been able to ask her why she knew about Chilton, or if any of them went there for that matter.  Apparently, there was something about her that just rubbed her the wrong way, also.

_Yale's Main Campus – Same Day_

After Rory's conversation with Lorelai, she had to attend her afternoon classes.  An absence or even a tardy could not be explained by "I had a sex-talk with my mom", so she decided to grab lunch at school, something to hold her over until she had time to have an actual meal, and attend to her classes in her scheduled manner.

She decided to go for a vending machine located in the building where her first class was being held.  She picked a bag of Doritos and a bag of Ruffles and a twinkie, and then she went to the soda machine and picked there also.  She decided on sitting in one of the benches that where near the bending machines, and proceeded then to do as she did in high school.  With her lunch in front of her, she pulled out a book and her headphones and started to read.  Somehow, even if she had school material to read at this time, she always decided on one of her literary pieces that usually helped her relax and enjoy her meals.

Sitting near by, were a group of guys talking animatedly.  One of the guys, a very handsome guy, noticed Rory when she was sitting down in the bench and left his group of friend sitting were they where.  But Rory didn't actually notice him until he came near her and spoke to her.  This guy was at least 6 feet tall, dark hair and white skin, sharp features, nicely built.  But what caught her attention were his beautiful, _beautiful _eyes.  He had the most weird shade of green eyes, had really long eye-lashes, that where naturally curled a bit at the end.  This just made the contrast so much more impressive.

As he was trying to talk to her, and after openly gawking at him, Rory finally reacted and took of her head-phones.  "I'm sorry, I couldn't listen to anything you were saying" she stated a little embarrassed of her staring and for taking to long to react.  "I was trying to see if my lip reading abilities where still sharp, and. . . they. . . aren't. . . I'm sorry, you were saying?"

"That's okay.  I don't think that qualifies as a balanced meal"

"Well, I grew up on unbalanced meal. . . I pretty much had my own food pyramid"

"You are in my economics class, right?"

"I. . . wouldn't know. . . it's a really large crowd, and it's hard for me to recognize people. . . but I have Mr. Sheridan if that's a hint at all"

"Yeah, I that's him"

"I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. . . I'm. . ." but she was cut off mid-sentence.

"Lorelai Gilmore, right?"

"Yeah. . . how did y. . .?"

"You always sit on the same spot in class, and it is really hard to forget when you are apparently the only one who understands what he is talking about."

"Oh, well yeah, that's me" she answered a little embarrassed at his qualification "but you can call me Rory"

"Nice to meet you Rory" he said as he extended his hand "I'm Alex Johannson" he added and they shook hands.  "Do you mind if I sit with you for a moment?"

"Oh. . . um. . . no, of course not, sit down" she answered.

"So tell me Rory Gilmore, how come a pretty girl like you is sitting all alone here?"

"Um, well. . . I was waiting for class to start, and wanted a place to sit while I had 'lunch'" she said using air-quotes and then lowering her hands awkwardly.  She wasn't the air-quotes kind of girl, albeit Lorelai always told her to use them to refer to certain activities that she assumed where going on while pretending to do otherwise.  "What about you?"

"Pretty much the same too. . . it's just that class at 2 o'clock does not make sense, does it?"

"No, it doesn't. . ." she said a little to eagerly "because it's not really like lunch time is over by 2"

"Exactly" he said as he grinned "I feel the same way"

"Sometimes, people are still having lunch at 2, and some of them are starting to have lunch at 2"

"I know. . .but then again maybe this people are scheduling classes at 2, because they are the kind of people that have lunch at 12:30"

"Yes, but only because they go to bed at 6" she quipped.

"My thoughts exactly. . . so what where you reading before I rudely interrupted you?" he said as he motioned with his head towards the book.

"Utopia. . ."

"Wow, I remember I read that for philosophy. . . is that why you are reading it?"

"Nope, just for the pleasure of it."

"OK, so you read for the pleasure of it, you understand economics like no one I've ever met, you are always on time for class, get really good grades. . . is there something else to you?"

"There are so many layers of me that you might probably get bored" she stated, trying to control her blushing face, and failing at it.  And in a way, was she flirting? Was that an open invitation for him to get to know her? What was she doing?

"Doubtful" he answered.  Apparently he saw it as an invitation.

"Look at the time, I really should get going, I don't want to be late" she said as she got her stuff together and got rid of the trash.

"Of course not, so why don't I go with you? I have that class too.  That's how this conversation got started."

"Yeah, but you see. . . I had this whole can of some caffeinated beverage that is urging to get out of me, so I have to make a quick stop and. . . you know. . . and then I am heading for class."

"I can wait for you outside. . . hold your stuff. . ."

"We have hangers in there. . . so"

"You know it is not safe to hang things of those hangers. . . I saw on TV, how this girl was. . . you know. . . and all of a sudden, out of nowhere came this hand and grabbed her purse. . . I am just trying to save you from harm." He finished.

"That's OK. . . um, I'm sorry, I don't want to be rude, but I really have to get going" and with that she started walking away, living him behind.

"This is not the last time we are going to meet. . . I promise Rory Gilmore" he said, more to himself that to anyone else.

When his group of friends saw that the girl Alex was talking to had left, they got up and went to meet him.  

"Is that smoke I smell?" One of his friends asked.

"Funny"

"I think it is. . ." another friend added "it seemed to me that you've just crashed and burn, my friend"

"Trust me, there's still plenty to be said about that. . ."

"Are you sure, because it just didn't seem that way to me from where I was standing"

"Yeah, and what did you see? Enlighten me" Alex asked as they started walking towards class.

"Well, you see.  I saw this girl that was only being polite to you as you encountered her, and then left you hangin'."

"She's a complex girl"

"He states as he realizes that he has no chance in hell with the girl" another one added.

"Would you guys shut up about it. . ."

"What? Don't you enjoy when your friends point to your mistakes?" He said as they point towards Rory going into the class room.

"Dude, come on. . . you are trying to make waves where there is no place for surfing"

"What. . .? What did that mean?" Alex asked very confussed.

"I think what our friend here is trying to say is, that there is no chance in hell that that girl is available"

"Well. . . we'll just have to wait and see won't we.  If she is not available I will make sure that she becomes available."  He said as if he had been presented with a challenge.  

A.N.#2: I am so completely sorry for taking this long to update.  Many things contributed to this factor, especially since I was leaving my home country for 2 weeks and ended up staying for 3 months.  It is not that there weren't any computers available where I was, its just that I had left everything started here, at home.  I am sorry also, because I have a hunch that this has not been the best chapter I've presented you lately, but I promise that things are going to get better.  Tell me your opinion on the new characters, because that would be really helpful.  Enjoy!

Mary 


	16. Tristan's Past and Rory's Friend

**Disclaimer:** See previous chapters.

**Author's note: **I am starting this chapter in hope that it won't take to long to update as it did last time.  Some one said, that she hoped that I didn't have another trip planned anytime soon, so to put everyone at ease: if I do, I'm taking my lap-top with me.  So here is the next chapter for my story, and I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for everyone for still keeping up with this story ;oP.

**Every Time There's a Concert**

**Chapter 15: Tristan's Past and Rory's "friend"**

When the end of the day came, Vicky came into Tristan's office to check on his schedule with him, and curious about the meeting they had that morning.  

"Tristan. . ." Vicky called as she knocked on the door.

"Come in, come in. . ."  He said and gestured with his hands for her to do so.

"Are there any appointments that you've made without my consent" she asked as a way of joke.

"No, but remind me please to call:" he said and looked through his post-its that were all over his desk and his computer screen, "Miss Montgomery" and as he said that, Vicky scoffed "and we'll get to that scoff later; Mr. Adams, because I need to check on something on his website, but was vague on what was wrong; tell Drew that there is a skip on the Flash presentation for the dealership, the one we where working on last week, and that we have to work on that tomorrow, so tell him to make time for that; I don't know about you but I'm running a little low on some supplies. . ."

"Mostly post-its, I presume"

"Observant.  Yeah, mostly post-its and the paper that we use to print adds for presentations"

"I still have 2 packs in the storage room"

"Ask Drew if he still has some, and if he tells you he is running a little low also, give one of the packs to each of us, and make a list of supplies so we can order them later on tomorrow."

"Sure thing; anything else?"

"No, at least on my part. . . Thanks"

"Tristan, may I ask you a question?"

"Asides from the one you've already asked?"

"Yeah, an extra. . . How did your meeting go this morning?"

"I guess you could say we made an impression.  We got the account"

"That's a good thing, right?" She asked, since Tristan was a little less-than thrilled.

"Oh, Yes! Of Course, it's a good thing... it's amazing actually"

"Then why don't you seem so thrilled?" Vicky asked.  Call it women intuition of the fact that maybe she knew that Tristan had picked up the same thing she did.

"I'm happy about the account, I really am.  What I'm not happy about is the person that we are going to have a contact inside the company with, you know?"

"There was something about her. . ."

"I know! I told Drew the same thing, but he was blinded by... something else"

"Janine would probably enjoy finding out this piece of information"

"She probably would, but she is not going to find out about it from us"

"So, what do you think that is wrong with this woman?"

"I don't have the slightest idea.  You know that for a moment, I thought I knew her"

"Did you guys have a conversation?"

"Not really.  We went straight into the presentation after you came out of the meeting room, and then she left... so, no, we didn't.  Why?"

"No, just wondering"

"Well, what was your reason for wondering?"

"You see, as she was coming out of the meeting room, she asked me if you guys were friends, so I said yes... that you graduated from high school and college together."

"Uh huh"

"And then, she asked if you had both attended Chilton"

"How would she...?"

"Exactly what I thought"

And then it came to him.

_Flashback *Tristan's Freshman Year at Chilton*_

_"There is that Montgomery chick staring at you again" Tristan's friend, Greg, pointed out as she had finished taking her things out of her locker and waiting for the next bell to ring._

_"So?" Tristan asked._

_"Well, she has the hots for you man, go for it!"_

_"Nah, she's not exactly my type"_

_"Then do it as a favor to her. . ." David, another one of Tristan's friend, added._

_"Level with me here. . . I'm Tristan DuGrey, I don't do anything as a favor to anyone, especially a girl, besides she would be the type of girl that after making out will think I'm her boyfriend or something"_

_"She is a senior, for God's sake!"_

_"Well that just doesn't make her any more desirable"_

_"But she is a senior. . . "_

_"Yes, and if I recall correctly Kelly is a senior too, and so was Andrea, and Gabriella. . . so being a senior is not exactly a selling point for that girl" he said as the girl kept staring at him from across the hall._

_"OK, then lets make it interesting" Greg said as the three where standing together._

_"Lets... what do you have in mind?"  Tristan asked.  This was going to be good._

_"Let's make a bet"_

_"A Bet?"_

_"Yes, it is an action known by men which involves money and. . ."_

_"I know what a bet is. .  . How is that supposed to make it interesting? I've got money"_

_"Maybe bet is not the best word"_

_"And your parents are wasting all their money in your education, and you cannot even find the correct word"_

_"A wager if you may"_

_"OK, go on" Tristan interest piqued._

_"We start with a hundred dollars, and the farthest you go, the higher the wager gets…  What do you think about that?"_

_"I think that you better have enough money to back you up." He said and shook hands to finalize the agreement._

_And with that, he walked over to where Danielle was standing.  He leaned on the locker next to where she was leaning.  That day he made a date with her.  And two days later, he collected one-thousand dollars from Greg._

_He had slept with her._

_*End of Flashback*_

"Oh, Dear God!!!!" He said with a look in his face like the one people get when they know they are going to get run-over by a car.

"What?" Vicky asked when she saw Tristan's expression.

"I know her," he said as he turned to see her.

"We already figured that much.  From Chilton, right?" 

"Yeah, but you don't understand.  I _know_ her.  As in my _past lifestyle."_

"What do you mean by that? Really, Tristan, you have to walk me through this.  I'm a little rusty on those expressions."

"Vicky, do you remember how my father used to tell me to settle down?  And how he used to say that I needed to find one girl and one girl only?"

"Yes, as I recall you were quite the ladies man."

"So, that's how I know her."

"She was one of the… oh, I see know."

"No, Vicky.  It's what you think times ten.  I slept with her, when I was a freshman, and she was a senior… so many moons ago."

"And what happened?"

"It was kind of a bet." Tristan answered, embarrassed of his own actions.

"And what happened?" Vicky repeated herself.

"Well, after… you know… I avoided her and stopped talking to her altogether.  It hadn't been her first time, but she really, really liked me."

"So what do you think is going to happen?"

"At this point I don't really know what can happen.  I can only hope for the best."

"Do you think Rory will get upset about it?"

"I don't think so.  She's a great girl, and I'm going to be honest and tell her what happened, so there aren't any surprises.  But she knows that I had a past before I was with her, just as she had a life before I came into it."

"Are you going to tell her what happened to be honest or just to save your ass?"

"I guess a little bit of both.  I've waited for Rory too long to screw it up now.  I won't let it happen."

"Just figure out the right way to tell her this.  It is always hard to hear it."

"Thanks… I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes.  Good bye Tristan."

"Bye Vicky." He answered and she closed the door to his office behind her.

~*~

Rory was walking toward her car, when she heard a male voice call her name.  "Rory Gilmore!" and with that, she turned and waited for the person to approach her.

When he was getting close to where she was, she finally recognized him.  "Hey Alex."

"I'm sorry that I had to yell to get your attention, but I saw that you were getting away and I needed to ask you something."

She waved a dismissive hand, and said, "Oh, don't worry about it! What did you wanted to ask me?"

"I was wondering if you had the notes and photocopies for the econ essays that we have to write for next week."

"Yeah, I do.  I don't have them with me, though.  But I can bring them in tomorrow if you really need them."

"I do.  I really do.  The thing is that I kinda needed them for tonight, because I'm really behind on that assignment."

"It's a lot of work, I can tell you that."

"You weren't a cheerleader where you?"

"No, why do you ask?" she asked him a little confused.

"Oh, nothing.  So would you mind if I came over to your dorm and borrow them for tonight? I'll give them back tomorrow, I promise."

"Um, I live off-campus.  But you can tail me if you want and I'll give them to you."

"Sure.  Thanks.  You're a lifesaver.  Wait for me here while I get my car and we can drive over to your apartment."

"Okay."

And so she did.  She pulled out her car and waited for him, until she saw a sports car come up and do a change of lights behind her, and they were on their way.

The drive to her apartment was short.  But then again, there wasn't that much to New Haven anyways, so every drive anywhere was always short.  They parked their cars, one next to the other, and after a few minutes (Rory had to gather all her stuff from the back seat of her car) they where on their way up to her apartment.

When they arrived at her floor, they descended the elevator and walked toward her apartment.  And they were met by a surprise.

As Rory was getting her key, the door sprang open and this tall, blond guy came out.  When Alex saw Rory's face light up, he knew who the blonde-haired person was.  Rory Gilmore had a boyfriend.  

~*~

"Hey!!" she said as she saw Tristan open the door.

"Hey!" he answered back and gave her a small kiss on the lips.  But his eyes were on the person that was standing behind Rory.

With her free hand, she held his.  And then introduced them, "Tristan, this is Alex.  He's in my econ class.  Alex, this is my boyfriend Tristan."

Tristan extended his free hand to Alex, "Hey man," was the simple greeting.

"Nice to meet you dude."  Alex shook his hand.

_Dude? Tristan almost scoffed at the word. _

"Alex is just here to pick up some stuff," Rory tried to explain.  "Come in," she told them both.  Alex stepped in before they did.  Tristan gave Rory a little squeeze on the hand and when she turned, gave her a questioning look.  She just shrugged.

She gave Alex the stuff that he had come over for.  And he went on his way.

~*~

When Tristan and Rory where alone, he asked her.  "Who was that?"

"I told you, he's in my econ class…"

"Yeah, but since when do you know him?"

"We met today." She said as she busied herself by making coffee.

"And all of a sudden he needs something from you?"

  
"If you ask me, this is just for convenience."

"If you ask me, this is just to get _you_.  You didn't tell him you had a boyfriend" it was a statement, not a question.

"It didn't come up.  Tristan, I hardly know the guy.  We spoke, I don't know, barely two of three minutes before class and a minute before we got her and that has been it.  You're right I didn't have time to give him a report of my status, captain."

"Rory, I'm not joking."

"Obviously.  What has your underwear in a bunch anyways?"

"That guy, for starters."

"But there is more to it than that, isn't there?" she asked him, finally getting the coffee ready.

He took a deep breath.  "I need to tell you something."

"It sounds serious." She said as she sat down at the kitchen table.

"It is… a little," he said, sitting right in front of her.

"Remember I told you that I had a major meeting today?"

"Yeah… how did it go?"

"We got the account."

"Tristan, that's great." She said, eagerly.

"I know…"

"So, why are you like this?"

"Well, you see.  The exec that came to the office today was a woman, and I kinda know her."

"In what way, do you kinda know her?"

"Well, before you came to Chilton, on freshman year to be exact, my friends and I did this bet, where I was supposed to get a certain amount of money if I went out with this girl…"

"And this girl was the exec that came to the office today, right?"

"Yeah…"

"And how much money did you get?"

"We started with a hundred dollars and the farthest I went with her, the more money I got…"

"But you have money…"

"Yeah, but I also was a 15 year-old kid that was getting laid a lot…"

"So how much money did you get?"

"A thousand dollars"

"Oh, my God!"

"I'm not proud of it.  So much so, that I didn't even remember her, until she asked Vicky about me and Vicky told me.  Then, it finally came to me."

"Why are you telling me this now? You know it's not necessary.  I know that you had a life.  In fact I witnessed a couple of years of that."

"Yeah, but there is something about her.  She's trouble, Ror."

"Then be extra careful.  But there is not much we can do about it, right? It happened, and we can't change that.  So we just have to learn to live with it."

"Your right, but I still thought that you needed to know about this."

"Thanks.  So besides that horrible woman, how was your day?"  And with that, they continued with an easy conversation.  Rory told Tristan how she had met this 'Alex person' (as Tristan kept calling him), and about her classes; and Tristan told her about Vicky and the whole post-it thing.  Rory backed Vicky on the electronic thing, and insisted that they took Saturday and go 'hook him up' with a palm-pilot.

The rest of the evening was spent in a comfortable conversation, they had dinner.  And then, finally, said good night.


	17. Trouble In Paradise

**Disclaimer.****  Don't own them.**

**Every Time There's a Concert**

**Chapter 16: Trouble In ****Paradise******

Days went by and things got tense.  The project that involved Tristan and Danielle Montgomery consumed a lot of his time; and that only meant that he was spending less time with Rory.  It wasn't that noticeable at first; an hour here, an extra hour there, then there was a Saturday, and one day it came to even one Sunday morning.

Rory was trying her best to keep her opinions to herself.  But when Janine and Rory got together, was a 'slamming' fest.  They would complain about that… person that consumed both their boyfriends time.  Two friends are supposed to balance each other, but in their case they were both on the same side of the scale; and the guys opinions didn't count for much.

Janine and Drew had started to grow apart over the last couple of months.  They had come across some obstacles in their relationship.  Rory was a little worried about her friend and in a way about herself and Tristan too.  Janine didn't exactly know when they started to go in different ways; but she knew that they hadn't been doing that well for weeks, and she thought that they were probably going under.  And Danielle's presence wasn't helping matters much.  Granted that her attention was centered on Tristan, but Drew's attention was centered on Danielle.  He gave her excuses, like every guy does, about brotherly love and how he had to be there for Tristan; but Janine knew it was more than that even if, when asked, Drew denied it.

It was sad.  For the both of them to know that one person could cause so much trouble in what, once, had been something close to perfect and amazing.

"Some things are just not meant to last as much as others," Janine told Rory one of the days that they had been discussing the matter… _again._

"Yes, but the real question is, would we have been able to make them last longer if she hadn't made such an entrance?" Rory continued, while she ate some peanuts from the huge bowl they had in front of them.

"It probably is best you know.  What if it had taken longer, and I would have become more attached to him, and things didn't work out well?"

"But we are discussing this like if we already knew it was…"

Janine interrupted.  "Over? Rory, I have to face it.  It is over, and it probably wasn't meant to be."

"How can you take it so nonchalantly?"

"It was a guy I met at a bar, Rory.  It's not someone I knew from a long time and that had had this huge crush on me, like Tristan and you.  Not all of us mortals have amazing love stories like the one you and Tristan have." She added, self-deprecatingly. 

"That's not fair, Janine." Rory said, as she threw a peanut back in the bowl.  "Tristan and I are having problems too; maybe not as big as yours but there is no point on making them look as less important."

"I know… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that.  It's just that I am not feeling so good about it right now.  And look at your problems, you are having trouble because you guys love each other too much and my problems with Drew are because, apparently, we don't love each other enough.  I'm sorry if I make them look smaller, but it's just that I think that your problems are easily solved.  And mine, might not have another solution except for breaking up."

"I'm sorry, it's just…"

"I'm sorry too.  At this moment, we are all we have and I shouldn't say things like that."

"So what are you going to do?"

"His coming over tonight and we are going to 'talk', and we always know what that means 'it's not you, it's me' and 'I need time to figure out things' and 'we can still be friends, because I don't want to lose you' or something like that."

"I'm sorry" Rory told her.

"Not as much as I am…" she said with a sad smile.

And then their conversation got cut short.  Pizza arrived.

~*~

_Tristan's Office A few days later_

"So you see, if you turn this letter on the name of the magazine, you will be able to approach to new readers, that are in other age-group, making it more appealing to them, and that will result in a larger gross income, and later on a net income."

"So just shifting the letter position will do all that?" Danielle asked from her sitting position on Tristan's chair, looking up at Tristan who was really into explaining his point of view.  She noticed how his eyes sparkled whenever he was talking 'design'.

"You see, it's simple.  By shifting the position of the letter, you break the formality that the name and the block letters transmit, which just makes it more unreachable for teens for example.  But teens are a growing market, who influence many of the shopping done in their household and in what their group of friends prefer.  If you can hook one girl to the magazine on one issue, you'll see that on the next issue two or three friends of that girl are going to buy the magazine also, and so on, and so on.  It's something of a chain reaction, if you will.  But you have also have to put in some stories that will appeal to their age-group, because if not, you will loose those girls three issues later."

"Wow, that's very interesting." She told him as she turned her skirt-clad legs to where he was standing.  "Is this the last of the layouts?"

"Yeah, this is the last one." He told her as he moved from where he was standing, so he could avoid looking at anything he shouldn't be.

"So, we could go out and celebrate, right?"

"Oh, um… I don't think I will be able to.  I have been neglecting my girlfriend a little because of all of this, and I would really like to get to see her today for more than an hour."

"She's a lucky girl to have such a caring boyfriend."

"Oh, no.  I think I'm the lucky one, and I really don't want to screw it up…" he said as he fixed the sleeves of his shirt.

"So, if you have been neglecting her so much lately, why don't you do it just for one more night? She doesn't have to know, I won't tell her." She said as she walked to where he was and placed her hands on his chest, and leaned on his body.

"Nah.  I would know and that's enough for me."

"Come on, for old time's sake.  She could understand that, right? If she is as understanding as you say she is."

"Listen, Danielle, really.  I don't want to do this.  So if you don't mind I am going to leave right now, and you should do the same too.  It's really, really late." He said and with that he stormed out of his office and left her there standing in the middle of it.

She went out to dinner with Drew that night.  

~*~

She was looking at her watch again.  It had only been a few minutes since she last glanced at it.  He hadn't called or come over, and it was late. 

"It's a good thing that there is only one fee for watches, because if they charged for every single time we glanced at them, they would make a fortune."

"Hmm?" Rory asked Alex, distractedly.

"You've been looking at your watch every two minutes since I got here.  Are you that eager for me to leave?" he joked.

"Oh, no, it's just that Tristan said he would call and come over, but he hasn't done either.  I'm just worried."

"Then call him. I bet he has a cell-phone." He said as he looked back at his books.  How could Economics be so boring? 

"Maybe his busy or something.  I don't want to interrupt him."

"I wouldn't mind being interrupted by my girlfriend.  And I would mind it less if she looked like you." He said looking back up.

She wanted to laugh at his attempt of flirting.  But then again, she was Tristan's girlfriend, and no one flirted like Tristan.  Next to him everyone was an amateur.  The compliment affected her so little that she didn't even blush.  She just chuckled.

"Well Tristan has this really big project, and it's really important to him.  And I support him 100% so I wouldn't do something as calling him every time I need a fulfilled desire or caprice."

"Such a supportive girlfriend." He said sarcastically.

"That is the kind of girlfriend I am." She answered back.

"So what if…"

But she cut him off.  "I really don't want to continue discussing Tristan and the reasons why he calls or doesn't call, so I would really appreciate it if you could stop it." She told him.  "We have enough work as it is, to be preoccupying ourselves with something that only concerns me."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry" he told her, in his most apologetic manner, and still coming short of a real apology.

"I just like to keep those things to myself."

"I understand."

But she was done with tonight.  The fact that Tristan hadn't called had her distracted, so she decided to cut the study session short… with a small lie, "Listen, Alex, I don't mean to be rude but I have this horrible headache and I think that I need to call it of for tonight, if you don't mind."

"Oh, of course not.  Let me just finish this and I'll be out of your way." He said, referring to the last paragraph he was reading out of one of Rory's books.  "There! Done!" he said and started gathering his stuff.

"I'm sorry, but if I didn't feel really bad I would continue with this."

"I know, don't worry." He said as he took his backpack.  "Same time tomorrow?"

"I'll let you know, okay?"

"Sure… see you tomorrow" he said as he walked towards the door.  

As he was coming out of her apartment, he heard the elevator ding.  And he met with Tristan coming out of it.

Tristan was surprised to see him there.  Rory hadn't told him that she was going to have him over.  But then again she didn't need to report to him, right? She was her own person, and he trusted her.  But when he saw that Alex recognized him, and saw that smirk cross his face, he felt the need to punch his lights out.

"She's not feeling well, dude" Alex told him, as he was walking into the elevator.

_There's__ the 'dude' again! "Thanks.  I think I will risk it and go in there.  _My girlfriend_ might just need me…" he said with his own smirk as the doors to the elevator closed with Alex inside it._

"Good night, _dude!_" Tristan said to the closed doors.

When he knocked on the door to Rory's apartment, Rory greeted him with anything but a pleasant smile.  It was more like a frown.

"Oh, thank God it's you" she told him as she hugged him and they walked into the apartment like that.

"Who did you think it would be?" he asked her as he placed a small kiss on her neck.

"Alex" she answered simply.

"Yeah, I ran into the _dude_ as I was coming out of the elevator.  What was he doing here?" he asked her, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

She smiled.  "Oh, you know, we were hanging out, talking, drinking coffee.  But then I took a glance at my watch and told him that my overprotective boyfriend was due over any minute now, and told him to leave before any blood was shed."

"Very funny girl!" he said as he placed another kiss on her neck.

"We were having a study session" she answered.  "Do you want some coffee?"

"No, I'm a little hungry.  What did you guys have for lunch?"

"Pizza"

"Do you still have some?" he said as he walked over to the fridge.

"Yeah, I think we do.  Would you like me heat it up for you?"

"Don't worry, I got it." He said as he walked around the kitchen getting plates and using the microwave oven as if it were his own.

"So, what did you do today?" she asked as she sat on the kitchen table.

"Oh, we went thru the layouts for the magazine.  And I am happy to report that the layouts will be at the main office tomorrow morning, and we just might be done with the first part of our first big project.  Do you want some?" he asked, referring to the pizza.

"No, we had plenty today… so you're done?" she asked, eagerly.

"At least for the first part… the layout was the first thing.  And if they like our work, we are going to work on the new webpage" he said as he removed the pizza from the microwave and placed the plate on the table.

"So you're done working with Danielle?" Rory asked a little too eagerly.

"Not nearly.  She's still the exec in charge of the account and we have to keep in touch with her as often as it is necessary."

"You know?  She's the reason why Janine and Drew broke up."

"I wouldn't attribute all the blame to her.  Drew had something to do with that too.  And besides, they had been having trouble even before the whole Danielle thing."

"Yeah, but if he hadn't been so adamant on fulfilling that girl's every whim, they could still have worked it out."

"That was his decision, don't you think? He is old enough to know the right and the wrong thing to do when in a relationship, so I didn't have a say in whatever he decided."

"He neglected Janine." The conversation between them started to get a little heated.

"Yes, Rory.  But that was even before the whole Danielle thing happened.  And besides, why didn't Janine do anything to stop it from happening? She could have done something about it."

"Yeah, like what? Parade around your office in dresses, or skirts and stilettos?"

"For one thing."

"That's not who she is."

"But she did let everything die between them.  She didn't even fight for it." He said, his pizza long forgotten.

"But he didn't do it either." 

"He didn't know if she cared enough."

"But he didn't ask."

"Look Rory, for whatever reason our friends broke up, it does not concern us."

"In a way it does.  If he hadn't been so eager to protect you from whatever could happen between you and that… girl, maybe none of this would have happened."

"Protect me? What am I, five?  What are you talking about Rory?"

"He kept saying that that girl kept making 'moves' on you or whatever and he did that as a way to distract her.  By the way, it would've been nice to know if that girl was making some pass at my boyfriend."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're so big on the whole 'communication' thing, but you forgot to tell me how that woman kept making passes at you.  It would've been nice to know about that, instead of just pretending that I knew, pretending that you had told me what was going on."

"I thought that you might figure it out."

"How Tristan? Tell me.  Because it's not as if I'm hanging around your office seeing who comes in and out of it.  I trust you enough for you to tell me if something is wrong."

"And what good would it have made for me to tell you that some girl is trying to get me into her bed.  It would only make it more difficult for us than it already is."

"So you're saying our relationship is getting difficult?"

"You know it is, Rory.  Since I started this project, things have not been going that well.  We have been trying to ignore it, but it's not happening."

"And how do you figure?"

"For starters, the fact that you are looking for attention from someone other than me."

"What?" Rory asked him, incredulously.

"Why do you think you keep that Alex person hanging around you? Because you want the attention I'm not giving you."

"What are you…? Have you gone nuts? He's just a friend.  You know that."

"Yeah, but still…"

"So I'm starved for attention and that's why I keep random guys around?"

"Why else would you put up with him?" and then he let out an exasperated sigh, "you know what? Forget it! I'm not even hungry anymore."

"Tristan, if you thought that things between us weren't good, why didn't you tell me?" she asked defeated, as she stood a few steps behind him as he was on his way to the door.

With his hand on the doorknob, he answered "Because I thought that it would go away" looking down.

"If we didn't acknowledge it, then how were we supposed to work it out or make it go away? That's not how it works." She told him.

"And what are we supposed to do then?"

"I don't know.  Talk about it, maybe."

"Okay, then lets talk about it." He said as he removed his hand from the knob and walked back to the apartment's living room.  She followed him.

"Tristan, don't you trust me enough to tell me what was happening with that girl?" she said as she sat across from him.

"It's not that I didn't trust you enough to tell you.  But look at it from my point of view, there is no easy way to tell a girlfriend that someone is trying to persuade them to go to bed with her.  Imagine if the situation were reversed, would you be comfortable telling me that some guy was making passes at you so you would sleep with him?"

"There is no easy way to say it…"

"See."

"But I could always try."

"And what would you gain with you telling me?"

"I would be honest with you."

"Yes, but finding that out would only make me jumpy and jealous; what is the point to that?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she questioned him.

"Why, Ror? Listen, if you don't tell me that this guy is trying to get into your pants, it's because you're not entertaining the idea of it.  But if you do tell me, it's because you want me to be aware and that the thought of it did cross your mind… do you see where I'm getting at?"

"Yeah, I think I do.  But that works for guys.  For girls is different."

"Maybe the approach is different, but the result is the same: jealousy.  Simple as that." 

"So you weren't planning on telling me about this woman and all that was happening?"

"Nope.  For both your sake and mine."

"That doesn't make me feel any better."

"I didn't intend to.  Now do you understand my point? Now that what you thought is confirmed, does it make you feel better that you know?"

"Honestly, no.  I don't feel any better."

"The defense rests!" he said as he slumped over the couch. 

"So you think that I let Alex hang around me so I could get the attention that I'm not getting from you?"

"Look, human beings are physical.  We need the contact.  I'm sorry I have been neglecting our relationship so much, but if I have it's not because I want too but because I have to.  It's my job and it's going to be my life's support.  And I'm starting, we're starting.  Once we have a routine figured out then things will get better, I promise.  In the meantime, I think we still have more of this coming our way."

"Tristan, I'm not a person that needs the contact.  I just need you.  I don't need anyone else to reassure me.  I only need you.  If you think that the reason why I'm hanging out with Alex it's because of attention, then you're wrong."

"Okay.  I can take that.  But are you going to deny that he flirts with you, and he tells you that if you were his girlfriend that he wouldn't neglect you as much as I am.  Because, by now, the guy has noticed that I'm not around as much as I should."

"No.  He does tell me that, he has said it several times."

"Do you think that knowing that is making me feel good? Its hard enough for me to be going thru this.  Working so much and being with you less.  And not only that, but also that some guy, who has noticed the same things I did about you, is after you and spends with you the time that I wish I could.  Do you think that knowing that is nice?"

"I know it's not."

"But I still have to deal with it, don't I?"

"Why are you talking to me that way?"

"Which way?"

"So condescendingly."

"I'm not…"

"Yeah, you are.  I don't need that.  I thought we were going to talk.  That we were going to figure out what was wrong with us, and here you are being patronizing, talking to me as if I wouldn't understand any other way."

"Rory, you're blowing things out of proportion."

"Look I really don't need this.  In fact, I'm tired of going around the subject so much.  If things aren't working out, then…"

"What? Tell me!" 

"I think we should break up." She said and she got up from the couch.


	18. Overcoming the Obstacles

**Disclaimer.  Please see previous chapters.**

**Every Time There's a Concert**

**Chapter 17: Overcoming the Obstacles**

"Are you nuts?" he said standing up and going after her.

"No.  I'm completely serious." She said as she was walking towards her bedroom.

He held her by the arm to stop her from moving.  "Rory, you've got to be kidding me?" 

"Why?"

"We run into a rough patch and you want to break up?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm sorry but I won't let you do that."

"And why not?"

"Because it takes two, and I don't want to break up with you.  I want to figure things out and be with you.  I won't let you give up on us so easily.  After all I've waited for you, I am not going to let some bitch and some jackass ruin what I've wanted all of my life.  So we are going to cool down and start over again with this conversation."

"Breaking up is not up for discussion." She said determined, or trying to be determined.

With this, he stood close to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.  "Rory we've been together for almost 9 months, granted the last three of four months haven't been the easiest ones, but I don't intend to let you go over something like this.  It just doesn't make sense."

"This from the man that hoped that everything will just go away if we didn't acknowledge it." She said as she placed her hands on his arms.

"But now is out there, and we can't keep ignoring it.  You said so yourself."

"Tristan, I…"

"Rory, I love you.  I love you more than anyone I've ever loved in my life, and I would do anything to keep you with me.  So please tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it.  If you want me to quit the project and send Danielle and her magazine to hell, I would do it if you ask me to do so."

"Now you are the one who has gone nuts.  I would never ask you to do something like that.  To jeopardize your career like that.  I love you to much to put you thru something like that."

"Then why do you want to break up with me?"

"I don't want to break up with you…"

"Then why did you say it?"

"I don't know.  It just came out that way."

"But you've thought about it, haven't you?"

"I…"

"You have…" he said as he let go of her and stepped back.

"I guess that the thought did cross my mind… it's just getting so hard for us.  And mostly for you.  And I thought that maybe that's what you wanted."

"I would never want such a thing, Rory."

"Or maybe, what you need?"

"What? Why would I need to be away from you?"

"So you can concentrate on your work… maybe if we just took some time apart, you know? To figure… whatever, out."

"I don't need any more time away from you.  I spend enough time away from you as it is." With this he stepped closer again and cupped her face.  "Listen all couples go thru this, and I don't want any time apart from you.  It won't help me.  I don't know if it will help you figure out something, but I don't need to figure out anything regarding you.  I know how and what I feel for you; in fact, I'm clear on that.  I know I love you.  Danielle Montgomery is no one to me.  She is not important, she is not worth mentioning, and she is not worth anything to me.  And she definitely is not worth loosing you over.  If she is indeed the reason behind Drew and Janine's break up, then why would you let her be the reason for ours?"

"But she is causing so much trouble" she said as she gave into his touch and placed her hands on his waist.

"Then let her cause trouble elsewhere, but not here.  Not with us.  We've been doing so well, Rory.  I have been so happy with you…"

She smiled.  "I'm happy with you too…" she said as she tilted her head to the side.

"We are all adults here.  You have to trust me.  She is not important to me, she never was and she never will be.  Besides, come on! If you broke up with me, Rory Gilmore, I would be singing under your window every night until you take me back, and you live in a building, which means that I will have to sing at the top of my lungs for it to reach your ears.  Ears will bleed, dogs will cry, people will scream obscenities… all of this directed to you, do you really want that?" he asked jokingly.

"Oh, no! I would never want that… so I guess that for my sake I will just have to put up with you, huh?" 

"It will seem so, Miss Gilmore; it will seem so." He said with a smile, before he leaned in and kissed her softly.  She smiled on his lips and then she let him deepen the kiss.

When the kiss was over, she said.  "I'm sorry Tristan, I really am.  I don't want to break up with you ever again" she said mockingly.

"Oh, don't worry your pretty little head, because I won't let you." He said with a huge smile.

"So what are we going to do?" she asked him as they walked into her room.

"Well, I don't know… some ideas come to mind… you know what's good after a fight like the one we just had?" he said as he walked backwards, with Rory still in his arms, towards her bed.

"Oh, I don't know… Ice cream?" she said and then let out a little scream and a huge laugh as they both fell on the bed.

~*~

_The Next Morning_

Rory stirred around in her bed, and she felt Tristan's hand running up and down her side.  She took a deep breath.  

"Good Morning" he whispered in her ear.

"It sure is…" she said as she turned around to him.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Like I haven't in months…  I was really worried about us." She said as she nuzzled into his neck.

"You worry too much" he answered simply "I wasn't worried at all" he said as he ran his hand on her back.

"Really?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah.  You see, I know that you wouldn't be able to resist my charm.." she lightly swatted his chest, and then continued to do little circles on his peck. 

"Maybe it was the other way around and you just couldn't resist me…"

"Oh, well, that goes without saying… I thought we had already established that way back when we were 16."

Rory just laughed.

"Rory, may I ask you for a favor?"

"Sure," she said as she rolled on top of him, placed her forearms crossed over his chest and rested her face on them… "what?"

"Please, don't ever doubt me again…"

She placed a small kiss on his chest.

He placed his arms around her back.  "I don't want you, ever, to doubt how I feel about you… keep something in mind: I LOVE YOU! And I won't let anything come between us.  Oh! And… don't ever break up with me again." He added as an afterthought.

She smiled.   "We didn't even break up.  You said that you wouldn't let me do that."

"Like hell I wouldn't!"

"Listen, I really am enjoying this, but you have to go to work and I have to go to class and if we keep doing this" she gestured with her hand "then we won't do either."

"I can live with that… let's stay in bed like this all day" then he pretended to ponder, "Although I can think of a few things to do if we did stay in bed all day.  Do you want to listen to them?" he said with a grin.

"No… I need to get up, or you'll persuade me to do otherwise."

"Okay, then lets stay like this for five more minutes and I promise I will let you go to class…"

"Five!"

"Yes, five." He said and they both smiled.

 ~*~

_A Few Months Later_

"And with this, I think it is safe to say that we are done!" He said as he closed the zip-box that contained the work of almost 7 months.  He handed it to Danielle, who didn't look as excited as she should have been.  

"So sad that we are done with this.  I was really looking forward for a couple of months more…  I didn't think that we were going to finish so fast.  If I had known I would have given you something else to do." She said as she placed the box in her briefcase.

"Yeah, it's so sad" he said sarcastically.

"You know what we should do?" she asked as she leaned in, a little, over his desk.

"What?"

"We should go and celebrate…"

"Oh, you know what? I would love that…"

"Really?" she asked, thinking that she had finally worn his resolve down.

"Too bad I already have plans…" as he was saying that, a buzz came, and Vicky announced that Tristan had company, "send her in Vicky." He said and got up from his chair, "and I really cannot cancel this.  It's just too important!"

At the moment, Rory was coming into his office clad in a pair of black pants and a blouse that would have made Lorelai proud.  "Hey!" she said as she walked over to where he was standing, and then took him by the neck and placed a small –yet sexy- kiss on his lips.

"Rory Gilmore, this is Danielle Montgomery" Tristan introduced them.  He placed his hand on Rory's back.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't even acknowledge you!" Rory said and Tristan smiled and turned his face.  Rory Gilmore, treating someone with sugar-coated disdain.  "Nice to meet you" she said as she extended her hand to shake that of a highly disliked person.

"Same here" was Danielle's curt response.

"I don't mean to rush you, but you did say that you were going to be done at 6:30 and I really don't want to be late," she said, directing herself to Tristan.  And then added, directing herself to Danielle, "You see, we have dinner at my grandparents every Friday, and they just adore Tristan.  And now, it's a must.  He has to show up every single Friday, or it's my head!" she said, with a smile that could have caused a cavity… or a sudden death.

"What happened with all the Friday night dinner's he missed while we were working? Tristan?"

"Oh, you see" Rory interrupted, and Tristan was thoroughly amused.  "It's not like we live in a dictatorship, he does have free will.  And I trust him completely.  And besides he called my grandparents and apologized for not showing up.  They love him too much, and just let him get away with anything."

"So, yeah.  We don't want to be late, so we really have to go.  You know the way out, right?" he asked as he walked out of the office hand in hand with Rory.

"Yeah"

"It was nice meeting you, Danielle.  To bad it was at the end of your project, it would have been more fun to meet you at the beginning of it.  Bye"

"Yeah, bye." She said, and she turned to where her stuff was.  She was enraged.

That was the last they saw of Danielle Montgomery.

~*~

As they were walking in direction to the elevator, Tristan couldn't help but ask, "Where did that come from?"

"What?" Rory asked, innocently.

"That whole cotton-candy display you pulled in there."

"It was fun." She said as they stepped into the elevator, and pressed for the lobby.  They waited until they reached the lobby to continue their conversation.

"I could tell you were having fun.  Rory the queen of double-meaning." He said as if presenting her to an audience.

"It's just that I was so mad, and when I had her in front of me… I don't know where it came from, but I just started talking that way.  You know? Like rubbing it in.  It was petty, I know.  And something I would never do under normal circumstances, but I couldn't help it… it just… came out." She said with a guilty smile.

They finally reached the car.  It had taken them longer because of the conversation.  "Well, we are done with that project.  Someone won't be as glad as you are that the project is over." He said as he opened the door for her, and then walked around the car to his side of it.

"Who? Drew? I wouldn't go that far.  He has been coming over a lot in the past couple of weeks.  It just makes me a little suspicious, you know?"

"Why?"

"Because, you knew that the project was almost done, right? Therefore, he knew that also.  And, all of a sudden, he starts looking for Janine again.  It just makes me wonder if it's because he really wants to get back together with her or is it because Danielle is gone."

"Wow! So devious!" he said with a smile.

"I'm serious.  I mean first he's all confused about how he feels about her, and then he's no longer confused and he starts pursuing my friend again.  It just makes  me doubt his motives.  Wouldn't you be?"

"Listen, we really shouldn't meddle in their relationship.  Last time we did that, we almost broke up and… oh, but you know, I liked the outcome of that, so maybe we should discuss it further… for our friend's sake" he said grinning.

She blushed at the innuendo.  Even after dating Tristan for almost a year, he still got to her. 

"Then you don't approve of his going over to your apartment?" he asked getting back into the conversation.

"It's not up to me to approve or not, you know? But as a friend, I worry about it. Maybe I'm just looking way to much into it."

"May be…" he said as they reached the Gilmore Mansion.  "We're here."

"Are you ready?"

"You are starting to sound so much like Lorelai when she comes over."  He stated as he stepped out of the car and rounded it to get her door.

"It's just that I wish, sometimes, that I didn't have to come here all the time… Have a Friday night to ourselves, or myself.  I guess today is just one of those days.  That's it."

As he rang the bell for the door, he told her.  "Duty calls." And it gave them enough time to straighten their faces as Emily Gilmore opened the door, for yet another Friday Evening.


	19. Calendar Pages

**Disclaimer.  **Don't own them… but maybe one day, I'll write for them (*wishful thinking*).

**Every Time There's a Concert**

Time went by.  Tristan and Rory's relationship was able to overcome the rifts that Danielle Montgomery and Alex Johansen had made in it.  They had been as strong as they had hoped they'd be.

Last, they heard Danielle Montgomery had been fired from the magazine she worked for and that Tristan did the layout for.  The reason for her cease of activities at the magazine had been harassment.  After the account with Tristan's company, she moved on to a different project; and the company and, more specifically, the person who she had been working with filed a sexual harassment suit which cost her the job of, what she had once thought of, her dreams.  She moved to Europe a few months after that and married there.  Tristan had kept working with the magazine, and his contact there (an older, married woman) told him about what had happened.

Alex Johansen had graduated the same year Rory did.  He started dating someone else after the whole Rory "thing."  Then dated someone else and someone after that and someone after that one… until one day, after graduation he ran into Janine at a bookstore and hit it off.  They started dating after that, and had moved in together after a year.

Janine and Drew never could actually make things work out again.  She always doubted his reasons for coming back to her.  And the fact, that he had dumped her and, when things didn't work out for him and the other girl, then went back to her and ask her to forgive him… that just made her doubt him more: If he did it once, what guarantees that he won't do it again? She forgave him, but didn't get back together with him even after all the insisting form his part.  She moved on.  He moved on also… it just took him longer.

After graduation, Rory had moved to Hartford.  She got a job with the Hartford Herald and moved up the corporate ladder little by little, as she gained experience.  

Her grandparents had given her the apartment in which she lived on her own as a graduation present.  Lorelai had been happy and sad.  It was bittersweet for her, because Rory had moved out on her own.  She knew that Rory wouldn't move back to Stars Hollow after graduation, but she could hope…

Tristan and Rory didn't move in together as it would have been expected.  The fact was that it would have been too much for their families to deal with that.  They still had names and reputations to live up to and protect.  They spent some nights over at each other's apartments, but never really discussed moving in.

After the thing with Janine didn't quite work out for him, Drew decided to have a talk with Tristan and propose and expansion of the company since it was doing so well.  And they did, they started a second office in New York, where Drew took care of it.  He moved to New York a year after Janine's graduation.  He just couldn't take running into Janine and Alex together.  

Since he moved out, and the company was based in Hartford, and since Rory had moved to Hartford also, Tristan decided to follow her footsteps and move to Hartford… across the street from Rory's apartment building.

And so much time had passed by, that they didn't even notice that they had been dating for four years.  And for the last three years, one thought had been roaming around his mind, on and off.  However, up until a month ago, Tristan finally decided that he was going to propose to Rory.

He finally had everything he wanted to offer her.  He had stability, both emotional and financial, a very-settled company that was growing at an amazing speed.  And he had the girl of his dreams, the actual love of his life.  

They had discussed marriage on several occasions.  He knew better than to pressure her, and be insistent on the topic, but whenever the topic arose, he would seize the moment and talk about it.  Little by little, her walls regarding the issue had fallen until one day they spoke openly about it, and she told him that she wouldn't be able to face life without him.  That had been a month ago.  He knew that, finally, the time had come.

He drove one day over to Stars Hollow.  A small visit to Lorelai and Luke's so he could make his intensions known.  Lorelai had been happy, and Luke had actually shown some feelings regarding the issue, saying that Rory was a lucky girl and that if he did something to her he would hunt him down and make him disappear.  Tristan laughed.  He was used to Luke by now.

Luke did tell Jess this time.  Jess knew that Rory would marry Tristan, but he hoped (in the back of his mind… or maybe, his heart) that things could work out between them.  After all the years (and the girls) that had passed after Rory, he still felt a hint of jealousy and pain.  But he was still happy for her.

Tristan proceeded to drive to Boston.  He went to Christopher's house and, again, make his intensions known.  He had met Christopher after dating Rory for over a year.  He had been in London for a long time, after his and Sherry's divorce.  Christopher was happy also.

Now, the tough part came… asking Rory for marriage.  And after a whole lot of planning, the day finally came.  It was today.

When Rory arrived home that night, after and excruciatingly long day she found there was a calendar page tacked at her apartment's door.  She looked at the date in it.  _September 2000._  She didn't quite understand what it was.  Until she saw that there was a picture of the Virgin Mary and a notebook page with something that looked like English notes.

And then she figured that it meant _September 2000_, her sophomore year at Chilton… the year she had met Tristan.  She detached it from the door, and then proceeded to unlock the door and go in to her apartment.

On the table, where she usually placed all her work stuff there was another calendar page.  It read _October 2000.  In it, there was a copy of her Sweet 16 Birthday invitation, to the party that had been held at her grandparents' house.  She smiled._

"Tristan?!" She asked, but there was no answer.

When she was about to hang her keys, she saw the next page.  It read _November 2000_.  And there were two ticket stubs to the Winter Formal, and a piece of blue cloth.

She went into the kitchen and when she was about to turn on the light she found another calendar page.  This one had a label to some French drink and a picture of a piano.  She smiled at the memory again.

"Tristan?! Honey?! Are you in here?" she asked again, but there was still no answer.

She was no longer doing her usual routine as she usually did.  She was looking for more calendar pages that where placed on every single stop she did when she got home.  Next stop, the coffee machine.  And again, this one had a printed cover of Casablanca and… a flag? And a picture of some random bench.

She continued.  Turned around to the refrigerator and she found a PJ Harvey poster with two tickets that read _May 17th, 2001_.  And at this, she felt a little guilty.  That had been the time where she had broken his heart.  But she still removed the poster and held it with the rest of the calendar pages.

She came out of the kitchen and walked to the living room.  In the living room, she found another calendar page, which read _November 2001_.  This one had a printed cover of Romeo and Juliet and a piece of camouflaged cloth… when he was sent to military school.

"Tristan?! Come out here…" she said as she gathered the new page.

She was walking to the balcony when she spotted another page.  This one was from the year they started dating.  She remembered the day they had ran into each other at "The Coffee House," and how shocked she had been.  And she remembered how she had asked her to stay… after he ran after her.

_"Come on, please, don't go on my account" he asked sincerely._

_"Oh, um, I'm not. . . I. . . just have some stuff to do for school, and I just cannot let it go that easily" she lied._

_"You are not that good of a liar, Rory Gilmore, and if you were here it's because you have a little time to spare, so please stay"_

_"Yeah, but. . ."_

_"Please, let me prove to you that I am not the same person that left Chilton over the __Duncan__ and Bowman fiasco, I have changed since you last saw me. . . I'm just asking for a chance to prove to you that I am being honest. . ." he said politely "I'll buy you a cup of coffee" he added._

She smiled at this.  She opened the door to the balcony, and was disappointed not to find Tristan there.  

He had proved that he had changed, and so many things that he did after that… it was just corroboration that he had.

She kept walking around the apartment, and found a video… when she turned it over, she saw that it was Casablanca.  The first movie they had seen together, the first time that he came over to her house.

She continued her trajectory, not really knowing what she was supposed to do, and she found a set of pages.  In them, Rory found a bunch of ticket stubs and pictures of the first times they hung out together.  And then she remembered how it was that they got together… he neglected to put a picture of Chiara in it.

"Tristan?!? Come on…" she said and there was still no answer.

She found a few decorations put together (Thanksgiving and Christmas) and pictures of the people of Stars Hollow, and both of them at Stars Hollow.  She left everything by the table; it was just getting to be too much to be carrying around.  She only took the calendar pages.

She remembered the first time they woke up under the same roof.  Sometimes the smallest memories can make a person smile.  It had been the first Thanksgiving they spent together.

_"Hey, sunshine" she said in the most sweet voice possible, almost inaudible.  _

_"Mmmm, I like waking up like this.  One can get used to such luxuries."  He said, and as he said that, he smiled and grabbed the cup of coffee from Rory's hand._

She found another calendar page.  This one was for _February_; they had been dating for a few months by that date.  And it was the first fight they had, that led to the first time they said I Love You.

_"Dean was the one person standing in between you and me the first time around!!!!"_

_"There was no you and me and No First Time around Tristan, I didn't like you that way back then.  It wasn't his fault that I didn't like you then."_

_"But if he hadn't been in the picture things would have been different between you and me then"_

_(…)_

_"No, I changed.  Believe me, I changed.  But the person that I hold the dearest, that I would give my life for, just invited her ex-boyfriend to sit with us at OUR table on OUR anniversary.  If you want to talk about low blows, we can start with that one.  I changed Rory, but I am still a man that has feelings, and I have always been a jealous man, you know that, you've known that forever."_

_"You know what? I cannot believe that the man I love the most is behaving that way, so call me when you calm down. . . I'm taking a cab to my apartment?"  And like that, she let it slip.  She loved him._

And then, she got the chance to do it right two months later on his birthday.

_"I am extremely thankful to my lucky star that she let me get to know this great man that is standing right in front of me.  And I thank my lucky star that I had the chance to meet that annoying 16-year-old boy so many years ago, because that way I would know just how lucky I really am. . . life has blessed me in so many ways, that I can't help think that somebody up there loves me.  I am happy to have you in my life; you are, next to my mom, one of the most important persons I have in it.  What I am getting to is, that I want you to know that I love you more that I've ever loved anyone, and I thank God that he gave me the opportunity to see you again and blessed my life with having you in it.  If this were to end tomorrow, it would have been the most beautiful 5 months I spent in my life.  You never let one of those days be a dull day, you always had something that made each, and every day with you, the best day, so I guess that I've had approximately 150 of the best days of my life.  I love you more each day that goes by, and each day that goes by I know that it would be harder not to spend the next one with you."  _

She had been so nervous that day.  And that night… that's a whole other story.

"Tristan?!?" she said as she kept walking around.

She found more calendar pages.  For different months of the years, they had been together.  There had been a calendar page of the month she graduated Yale and one for when she got the job.  One for the month, she moved in on her own.  One for the month he moved to Hartford again… across the street from her.

And then she came across a calendar.  An empty calendar… it was lying on her bed.  When she finally looked up from it, she saw reflected on her mirror a candlelit table on her bedroom's balcony… and Tristan standing there dressed in a tuxedo.  And she walked to the balcony, and opened the door.  She smiled, and he smiled back.

"Hey…" she said as she placed a small kiss on his lips.

"What took you so long?" he asked her as he hugged her.

"I walked down a really long memory lane…" she said as she hugged him back.  "What's all this?"

"It's just something to welcome you home after a long day at work." He said as he pulled away from the hug and pulled away the chair for her to sit on.

"Come on… I kept calling your name and you wouldn't answer.  What's up your sleeve?" she said as he walked around the table to sit across from her.

"And Ace… but that's for poker night with the boys."

"I'm serious."

"So am I.  I can assure you that Alex carries a whole deck under his sleeve.  I don't know how he does it."

"Tristan…" she said warningly.

"Ok, I'll tell you.  I've had something on my mind for a while now."

"You always have things on your mind.  Why is this time different than any other?" she asked.

"Well you see this dinner kind of has a theme to it." He told her as he poured wine on both their glasses.

"I figured that much.  How did you manage to get calendar pages and all the things you placed on them?"

"Well, you would be amazed at the amount of junk that Lorelai has at your house, and with the help of some others and my own junk, I was able to pull it off."

"You called my mom, and asked her for calendar pages? Wow, we can't find the phone in that house, but she knows where she keeps calendars of years past."

"That's not the point."

"I know.  I figured that much."

"It's really important for me to remind you the history we have together.  It goes back a long time."

"Yeah, we're like Millennium Babies… Our history starts in the year 2000.  So our relationship could have been a bug for all we know."

"I think we overcame that."

"Good thing too, don't you think?"

"OK, I need you to get serious right now."

"There is just one flaw on this theme of yours." She stated.

"How so?" he asked amused.

"All of the other calendar pages had something on them that represents a… momentum, if you will.  Except for the ones, I found over my bed.  You didn't write anything in them."

"Well, that was on porpoise."

"You are just trying to cover it."  She joked.

"Actually, no.  I just left those calendar pages there, so you can pick a date."

"For what?" she said.

"For our wedding." He asked her, and she gasped.  He got up from his chair, walked around the table, and bent his right knee.  "I told you once that never in a million years could I ever think it possible that this would happen to me with you.  But it did, and I have never been able to thank the person that made this possible.  I told you once that I loved you more than life itself, and that I would do anything to make you happy, as happy as you have made me over the last few years.  It was a long way that we came and I am glad that we are here." He took the ring box from inside his pocket and opened it to reveal a 1-karat diamond engagement ring.  "Rory Gilmore, would you marry me?"

"Oh my God, Tristan!" she said with tears in her eyes.  "Are you sure?"

He chuckled.  "Yes."

"Are you kidding?"

"Nope.  I'm as serious as I can be."

"Oh my God"

"I'm going to need something more than that, Ror.  Your killing me here." He said nervously.

"Well I wouldn't want to be a widow before time, right?"

"Is that a yes?" he asked.

"Yes.  Yes it is." She said and she let her tears roll down her cheeks and so did he.  In a moment of impetus and excitement, he got up from his kneeling position and lifted her with him.

"I will make you the happiest woman on earth, I swear!" he said as he cried with her.

"Try and top the last few years.  But you have a difficult task ahead of you." She said.

"I'm up for a challenge." He said as he finally placed her on the floor and kissed her sweetly but thoroughly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lorelai was sitting on the porch, and had both Emma's and Janlan's complete attention.  It had been 12 years since that had happened.  And every time she told that story, it made her eyes watery.

"That's the whole story of your mom and dad" she said to the two children.  Emma was eight and Janlan was six.

"Wow, mom and dad sure kiss a lot."  Janlan said as a way of an observation.

"I know.  They kiss a lot and have been doing that for a long time."

"Is there anyway you can make them stop, grandma? Tell them you'll ground them or won't give mommy coffee or something like that."  Janlan continued.

"Grandma can't ground mom and dad, they're old people, and old people don't get grounded."  Emma told her brother mockingly.  

"Watch it with the 'old people' comment, there little lady."

"Sorry, grandma"

"But your sister's right.  I can't ground mommy and daddy because they love each other.  It's not fair.  One day, you will want to kiss a girl all the time."

"No, grandma.  Girls are disgusting.  I won't kiss any girl because then I would have cutties."

"You might just change your mind one day…"

"Thanks for telling us the story, again, grandma." Emma told Lorelai as she got up and hugged her.

"Your welcome angel.  Now go and get ready, because mommy and daddy are going to come and pick you up in a few minutes." And with that, both kids went inside the house.  And as it had been said, Rory and Tristan were driving in.

Lorelai rose from the porch's bench and went to meet her daughter and her son-in-law.

When they finally parked, Rory stepped down from the car after Tristan had gotten the door for her.  They were walking towards Lorelai, and Rory was the first one to talk, "Hey, mom."

"Hey honey…" she said directing herself to Rory, and then directing herself to Tristan she said "hey honey."

"Hey, Lorelai" he said as they hugged.

"Your kids are under the impression that you guys kiss a lot, and they want me to ground you."

"Janlan's always complaining about that." Rory said as she snuggled closer to Tristan.

"That kid is going to change his mind before he hits puberty," Tristan continued.

"With all that kissing, he just might turn into a revised version of this one," Lorelai signaled to Tristan.

"Oh, please don't say that" Rory continued on the joke.

"OK, OK! Quit it you two.  I'll go get the kids, so you can say your good-byes." He said, placed a small kiss on Rory's forehead, and went into the house.

"Thanks for watching the kids for us, mom" Rory said as she engulfed her mom in a hug.

"It's not everyday that my little girl celebrates 11 years of marriage." Lorelai answered back.

"It sounds like so much, but it seems like only yesterday we were on that balcony and he was proposing to me with a calendar theme."

"Those are the best memories."

"I wouldn't trade them for the world."

"Mom, mom" came the voices of Rory's children as they came out of the house.  Tristan behind them, carrying both their toy bags.

"Watch it, you two! Don't run like that or you might fall on the gravel with those sleepers on!" Tristan said behind them.

"Hey, kids!" Rory asked as she kneeled down to hug both her children.  "Did you have a good time?" she asked as she was eye-level with them.

"Yeah, we had burgers with Grandpa Luke for dinner" Janlan told her mother.

"Great, aren't they?" Rory asked them.

"Yeah" they answered in unison.

At this, Tristan was placing the bags on the back of the car.  "Are you guys ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah." 

"Say goodbye to grandma Lorelai, then." He told them and both kids said their goodbye's to her grandmother.

After the kids, they also said their goodbye's, got in the car, and drove to their house in Hartford.

THE END

**Author's Note.  Well, this is it.  It's over.  I hope you enjoyed it, and that you liked the ending to it.  Thanks for all your support for both my stories!**

Mary


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